Escort
by Kirishtu
Summary: Iruka is just a schoolteacher, so when he's chosen for a mission that doesn't seem dangerous at all, it seems perfect for him, right? So why is Kakashi so worried?
1. Chapter 1

Originally posted on aff 2007-06-27 - 2008-02-13

I

Umino Iruka had never been a strong person, chakra-wise, anyway. He was a simple schoolteacher, a chuunin, probably with enough skill to pass the test to be a jounin. But then, if he were to become a jounin, he would have to give up teaching, and he'd have to learn to stomach killing people. He certainly didn't enjoy that part about being a ninja, killing people. He preferred to leave that to people like Hatake Kakashi and, unfortunately, Uzumaki Naruto. Iruka had hoped at one point Naruto would follow him into teaching, but he knew after Sasuke had gone Naruto would never give up anything until he brought the Uchiha back. Iruka thought of that boy and wondered where he had gone wrong, where he had missed the signs. He was sure everyone else was thinking the same thing, but Iruka had begun to rationalize everything. Even if he had seen the signs, even if he had intervened, Sasuke would have still gone anyway. Sasuke wanted power and power didn't come to those who waited. Iruka had done his best and that was all that mattered. Of course, in the eyes of others, not everyone believed that. Some blamed Itachi, others blamed Sasuke's teachers. Iruka felt the hatred was directed toward him personally, which made watching Naruto leave to find Sasuke all the worse.

Iruka hated seeing his students grow up and run off to their deaths. Those that died while barely genin hurt his heart the most. Because of recent incidents, genin had been recruited for higher-level missions, and not all of them survived. Iruka wished he could go out on those missions for the children, simply to keep them from dying. It wasn't fair. But then, life wasn't fair. Iruka knew that, first hand. He rubbed the scar across his nose and went back to reading the reports he'd been given by his students, wondering how a naginata could be used by a ninja. He looked out the window of his small apartment, watching the lights of the village flicker on and off. It wasn't enough it felt like the walls were closing around him, it felt like his whole world was crashing down. Naruto was off training again, Sakura was training with Tsunade, and everyone Iruka knew seemed to be dying or leaving. Iruka stood up and moved to the balcony of his tiny apartment, pushing open the door to let in the fresh air. There was a time where he would sit like this and be visited by Naruto who would be looking for a free meal. Iruka would treat him to ramen, they would talk, and go their separate ways or Naruto would make a nest on Iruka's couch when he didn't want to be alone.

Life now would never be the same. The kids he had taught were full-fledged shinobi and kunoichi. Iruka was left teaching the newer generations, the future of Konoha when the generations before them fell. Iruka could feel it draining him, leaving him a shell of a man. Iruka shivered in the night air and finally moved back inside his apartment to finish grading his papers. He'd just settled down when he realized he wasn't alone. Iruka had spent most of his adult life dealing with twelve-year-old children who were fighting to become genin, to make their village proud. His reflexes were better than the average chuunin's and his senses were on par with a jounin's. His hand slid beneath the small table he was leaning against, fingers curling around the hilt of the kunai he kept there. Iruka shifted just a bit, as if to reach for another paper, and as soon as the intruder was close enough to stab, Iruka whirled with the kunai leading. His wrist was caught in a strong grip and the chuunin found himself staring into the mask of an ANBU, the elite ninja merely canting his head.

"Iruka-sensei, the Hokage would like to see you."

Iruka was speechless, only nodding as the ANBU released him to gather necessary materials, such as his vest and shoes. Weaponry could always be obtained at a later date and Iruka was a ninja anyway. It wasn't like anyone would attack him inside of Konoha. He was just a lowly chuunin after all. Iruka followed after the ANBU once he was ready, all the way to the Hokage's tower, going over excuses in his mind to anything Tsunade-sama could come up with to pin on him as his fault. He couldn't remember doing anything that could get him in trouble, but you never knew. Tsunade could come up with anything when she was pissed over her latest loss in gambling or in her drunken haze. Not that she was always in a drunken haze or gambling like a fiend. Still, he dreaded stepping into that office without knowing why and the fact an –ANBU– had come to fetch him, well. Iruka was scanning his brain for anything he could've done that could warrant in a talk with the Hokage.

At a loss, the chuunin followed the ANBU into Tsunade's office and swallowed when he was left alone in front of the woman. He didn't smell any alcohol and he couldn't sense anything amiss. It didn't ease his paranoia one bit. Ninja of any rank were paranoid (jounin especially, for they were convinced someone was trying to kill them all the time); it came with the territory. Iruka's paranoia hadn't been touched for a good while simply because he taught children. Children he could easily toss out the window if they got snippy, though parents tended to frown upon that.

"Ah… Tsunade-sama?" Iruka ventured, keeping his distance from the venerable lady. Tsunade's gaze flicked up to study the teacher for a few moments before she dropped her attention to the papers on her desk.

"Thank you for coming, Iruka-sensei."

"My pleasure, Tsunade-sama. Ah, if I may inquire as to why I'm here?"

"Oh yes. It's been brought to my attention that several people share a belief that your skills are lacking because you don't go on any missions. I think it's a bunch of bullshit. You either have to have jounin skills or just absolutely fucking insane."

Iruka fought back the smile, but Tsunade noticed it anyway and gave him a smirk of her own. She rose then, leaning on her desk as she shuffled papers and pulled out something Iruka was familiar with, having worked in the Missions Office for most of his chuunin career. In the hours that weren't taken up by teaching, of course. It still didn't lessen Iruka's worry that whatever was going to happen next he wouldn't like.

"Still, I have to please those bastards somehow, so I'm sending you on a little mission. It's rather easy. All you have to do is pose as a waitress at an establishment called Abeko in the port town of Iiga in Umi no Kuni. I'll get you a map so don't worry about getting lost on the way. The mission is a request from a rival syndicate, you'll be meeting with a representative before you start, but as for everything else, it's all detailed in this scroll."

"Tsunade-sama, with all due respect, I have classes to teach."

"A substitute has been found for you. All you need to do is come up with lesson plans, and I'll see they are delivered. You should get started, Iruka-sensei. I'll send one of the ANBU to escort you to Hi no Kuni's borders when the time is right."

Iruka could only nod numbly as he was given the scroll detailing his mission and moved slowly back to his apartment to begin packing. He couldn't retort and anything he said would just give those who questioned his abilities more reason. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been out on a mission, however easy, staring at the things he packed that he wasn't sure he'd need. In the end, he decided he'd bring everything he could that might assist him with this easy mission that would be anything but. Replacement kunai, extra clothes, an extra flak vest just in case, and other necessity items he would need, they all went into his pack. Still, he wasn't sure if he could pull off what would be required of him.

After all, it's hard to be what you know you're not.


	2. Chapter 2

II.

Jounin are special for various reasons. They don't need excuses to do crazy things simply because it's an unspoken belief that jounin are just insane. Jounin are big children with killing skills among other things, and so can't be held responsible for, say, getting drunk and singing really bad karaoke songs from old anime series. That's not to say all jounin are completely psychotic, but enough of a majority were to cause enough people discomfort when their routine to the day was disrupted. At first, not seeing Iruka at the Academy gave Kakashi no reason to worry. Kakashi figured Iruka was only sick and decided to vacate the premises to find the chuunin something of a get well present. Neither of them had been quite the same after Team Seven's break up, he knew, and though Iruka was normally so cheerful, Kakashi had noted slips in the chuunin's demeanor.

There was one time that Iruka had been on duty in the missions office. Kakashi had gone in to visit but had stopped just short of Iruka's desk. Iruka had been staring down at the papers in his hands, the ones he was supposed to file away, and he had been frowning, his eyes darkened with unshed tears. Kakashi had wanted to go over and wrap his arms around Iruka and comfort him but the moment he had taken a step forward toward Iruka, the chuunin spotted him and the sadness went away and Iruka smiled. Kakashi should have recognized the smile as one of hiding true pain, because he had smiled that kind of smile when he was younger, but even for all that, he hadn't connected it with Iruka's mood at all.

The silver haired jounin ended up forgetting the get-well gift after he was tricked into a contest of strength by Gai. He spent the night awake and playing with his cat trying to remember what it was exactly he had forgotten. He probably shouldn't have allowed himself to have a case of insomnia because he overslept the next morning and missed his chance to catch Iruka leaving his apartment for school. He didn't even realize that Iruka had been gone for a day before this. That alone would make him reel and wonder how the chuunin could have escaped him, could've disappeared before Kakashi even noticed.

Kakashi dropped by the chuunin's classroom the second day and found again the substitute. Iruka really was sick, then. Kakashi frowned and started to wonder if Iruka was avoiding him again. They were the sort of friends that you'd go to if you didn't want to be alone for the night, the ones you'd go drinking with if you didn't have better things to do. Not that they went drinking – well, Kakashi did – but they were still on talking terms.

Weren't they?

The third day – Kakashi didn't bother to go to the Academy – the jounin found his perch watching Iruka's apartment. The curtains were closed so he couldn't see inside. By then, he'd begun to wonder if they really were friends, or if Iruka was just pitying him for his massive screw-up with Team Seven. A part of him screamed Iruka was too kind a person for that, while another goaded on the self-destructive thoughts. Kakashi had failed his team, his village, everyone. Iruka, especially. After the chuunin exams, the brunette hadn't spoken to him at all, barely looked at him for more than it took to hand him a mission and kick him out the door.

After Sasuke had defected, they'd found each other nursing genin-shaped holes in their hearts and talked over dinner. Kakashi found himself at the receiving end of 'Good morning's when they passed each other on the street or a 'Hello' in the missions office. They talked rather than yelled at each other and Kakashi began to make seeing – talking if possible – Iruka part of his daily routine. It was just so important for the jounin to at least see the brunette every day, and Kakashi didn't know why. Still he just HAD to see Iruka.

Kakashi staked out the chuunin-sensei's apartment for five more days before his nervousness drove him to break in to the brunette's personal sanctuary. The jounin couldn't hear any movement, so he explored. Each room was empty, with no sign of the chuunin. Kakashi was trembling, scared though he wouldn't admit it. Iruka was missing. Just gone. Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke and burning ozone. He had to find Iruka.

He wouldn't rest until he did.


	3. Chapter 3

III

Iruka shivered in the cold morning air, standing on the ship's deck as he was ferried along with other passengers to Iiga. He hadn't changed his appearance yet, not quite used to portraying himself as a woman. It was easy enough to do so after watching Naruto – and Konohamaru – perform the Oiroke no Jutsu countless times. It wasn't quite right, he knew, as when he did transform parts of him remained decidedly male. It didn't matter, so long as he could at least LOOK like the opposite gender.

The mission scroll he'd been given only had details about who he was to meet, not the mission itself. But it was a spying mission, so how dangerous could it be? Iruka relaxed when the morning fog cleared and Iiga could be seen in the distance. The ship clocked close to midday, the passengers and Iruka departing into the depths of the port town. He was supposed to find the Abeko and drop the scroll in a waiting basket. It was a strange way to announce his presence, but those were the instructions. Naruto would have thrown a fit at such an easy task. The thought made Iruka smile.

He found the Abeko after asking several people and getting lost enough times to make him blush when asking for directions. Iruka knew asking for directions was a bad thing to do, but as he henged into a different person each time, it was probably safe. He hoped, anyway.

Iruka found the basket at the mouth of an alleyway and shook his head. His senses were screaming at him that this was WRONG, that something wasn't right and he needed to get OUT. The chuunin swallowed and backed away from the alleyway, turning to make his way across the street. The feeling of wrongness didn't leave him as he left the immediate vicinity of the Abeko, trembling a bit when he finally calmed.

"You must be Iruka-san. Good job. You passed."

Iruka jumped at the whispered words and turned to find a young man standing behind him. Light blonde hair was pulled back into a tail, green eyes studying the sensei as much as Iruka studied the young man. The boy smiled after a moment and made a gesture to the restaurant.

"My name is Shigure. My current employer hired you."

"You're my contact?" Iruka asked, almost incredulous. Shigure only nodded and moved to step around Iruka. The chuunin fell into step beside the boy, studying him now that his body wasn't screaming in fight or flight mode. Shigure's hair was interesting in the fact that the roots were showing black. So he dyed his hair, but Iruka tossed that fact out the mental window. His green eyes were intelligent, revealing nothing more than what he wanted to be seen. His clothes were unremarkable, as unremarkable as the clothes Iruka wore in place of his chuunin uniform. That was in his pack, along with his hitai-ate. He was sure that Shigure was carrying weapons on him, just as Iruka was carrying several kunai tucked into his shirt.

Shigure ducked into a building and motioned for Iruka to follow. The chuunin managed to keep up with the slight boy, and soon enough they emerged into a large lot before an old Heian-style mansion. Iruka swallowed and moved to keep up with the young man.

"We won't be here long," Shigure said. "We're just picking up the supplies you'll need and then we'll go meet Haomaru-sama."

"Haomaru?" Iruka asked, arms stretching out as Shigure piled kimonos in his arms. Iruka looked at the garments, not too pleased, but Shigure's shaking head kept him from questioning.

"Haomaru-sama has a syndicate that once was the main disciplinary force of Iiga. Not too long ago, some nut job moved in and started his own syndicate. It was weak, so Haomaru-sama didn't bother to cut it out of Iiga's daily life." Shigure paused. "Get one you like and put it on."

"Why?" Iruka asked, just before Shigure pushed him behind a screen to change into one of the kimonos.

"Haomaru-sama requested a woman for a reason, Iruka-san."

Iruka reddened, spluttered. Shigure made a noise of almost annoyance.

"Not like THAT," Shigure muttered when a now-female looking Iruka emerged from behind the screen. "The Abeko isn't just a restaurant. It's a prostitution ring."

"So I'm going to have to let men I don't know have sex with me?" Iruka asked in a whimper.

"No, no. You're going to be set up as a waitress, like your mission parameters said. The waitresses don't do that. Here, it's concealer. You stand out too much with that scar. I'll have to get Mayuri to worry about your hair, but for now it works." Shigure replied as Iruka used the compact's mirror to help him cover his scar. He added another name to the list: Mayuri. He was growing increasingly confused about his mission. It sounded easy, but it really wasn't, and he couldn't keep the Oiroke no Jutsu for long due to the strain on his chakra. Shigure gestured for Iruka to follow and with difficulty Iruka kept up. Back out of the building and onto the street, Iruka noted the change in environment as they walked.

Streets were filled with garbage near the Abeko, but as they moved away, the streets became cleaner and the moods of the people seemed to brighten. Shigure led Iruka to another mansion and brought him inside. If Iruka hadn't been a ninja, he would have missed Shigure's hand slipping into that of a young maid as she passed, a grain of brown rice left in her hand. The chuunin didn't get the opportunity to ask the young man about that rice, as he was soon presented to an elderly – but formidable – gentleman, waited upon by several pretty young women. Shigure bowed and Iruka did the same.

"Haomaru-sama, this is Iruka-san from Konohagakure." Shigure said, neither indicated Iruka was male nor female. Haomaru sat up a bit in his throne to study Iruka, the brunette using all his willpower not to fidget under that powerful gaze. Ninja do not fidget.

"Iruka-san," Haomaru began, "let me first thank you for undertaking this mission. It is of utmost importance to me,"

Iruka bowed a little, eyes flicking to Shigure, who was speaking softly with the maid from before. The chuunin opened his mouth to reply, but Haomaru began to speak again.

"I want you to obtain a waitressing job at Abeko and report to me on everything you see. In particular, I want you to look for a girl, no more than a child." Haomaru gestured, and one of the ladies brought forward a photograph of a little girl with rave locks done in braids and dark eyes that were like mirrors. A very pretty child, she was.

"Her name, Haomaru-sama?" Iruka asked. The older man sat back in his chair, looking terribly tired and old.

"Yukari. She is my angel, my only daughter given to me by my late wife." Haomaru replied. "I fear she has been taken there. She's been missing for weeks and her guardian had been found dead in her chambers. I want you to find her."

Iruka swallowed. He'd been right. He wasn't going to like this.


	4. Chapter 4

IV

Tsunade decided not to tell Kakashi that he was over-reacting. The silver haired jounin was absolutely convinced that Iruka had been kidnapped and he was determined to find him and destroy his kidnapper. No matter how many times she explained that Iruka was perfectly safe, Kakashi wouldn't buy it. Finally, she threw up her hands in frustration.

"Hatake Kakashi! Calm yourself!"

The jounin froze in mid-sentence and though one really couldn't tell because of that blasted mask, his mouth was hanging open. Tsunade rubbed her skull to ward off her headache and sighed.

"Iruka's fine. He's just doing a mission for me. He'll be back when it's complete."

"He's only a chuunin, Tsunade-sama." Kakashi replied.

"He's one of the best. I believe in him. Now, get out, Hatake. And don't you dare go after him."

Kakashi bowed out, glaring daggers at the Hokage's office. She sent Iruka on a mission. During the school year, no less! Kakashi just didn't agree with it. Iruka needed to be here, where Kakashi could watch him. He just had to be. Kakashi spent the rest of his morning invading Iruka's apartment for clues to his whereabouts. He wasn't having any luck, but he found a few photographs of Iruka and Naruto he just had to have. Would Iruka notice then? Probably. The jounin decided to leave the pictures where they were and concentrate on finding the chuunin. In the end, he summoned up one of his nin-dogs to find Iruka's scent. Kakashi made sure he didn't summon Pakkun because the little dog would just talk sense to him.

Kakashi shook his head and followed the nin-dog out of the village, concentrating on finding Iruka. Iruka couldn't function outside a classroom. Well, that wasn't true, not exactly, considering before the Chuunin exams he'd tested Team Seven. But then, he'd been tricking twelve-year old kids, not going up against potential danger that could mean the end of his life. Kakashi needed to be there to protect him because Iruka couldn't protect himself. Well, he could, but that wasn't the point. Iruka needed to be protected because he was a chuunin. Kakashi couldn't – wouldn't – trust Iruka to watch his back in a fight because Kakashi's skills far outweighed Iruka's and he would have to watch Iruka instead of concentrating on the fight at hand. So he had to find Iruka and bring him back to Konoha, mission or no mission, just so he could keep an eye on him. Iruka was suited to protecting children. After all, Iruka couldn't even protect himself against Mizuki.

Kakashi winced. Iruka had done his best and had gotten wounded because of it. Kakashi had seen the scar that was just a little to the right of the chuunin's spine. A little closer and Iruka would've been lucky to become a paraplegic. So that made Kakashi's resolve to find Iruka all the more hardened and he picked up his pace. He had to find Iruka before something bad happened. So he ran through the night, following his little nin-dog until the poor thing needed to rest. Since Kakashi had the general direction now, he just kept running. He hadn't even bothered to do some reconnaissance in Tsunade's office before he left, which he was kicking himself for now. He should've at least figured out where exactly Iruka was going. A week of hard travel planted him in a small port town and he took a few hours to rest and change his appearance and make up some sort of story about looking for work. Off came the jounin's vest, the black shirt and pants and sandals, the mask and the hitai-ate though he debated about the mask for a long time, and changed into something less conspicuous. An eye-patch finished the ensemble, covering the Sharingan. He was set, except for his story about needing a job, where he had come from, that whole thing. Well, he could think about it on the ferry, on the way over to Iiga. He could find some information there, he was sure. If Iruka had been around that city, then someone would know him, or at least, his look.

Not many could mistake Iruka for someone else, anyway. If the scar wasn't enough, then the way his eyes were. Those pretty orbs were too innocent despite his life as a ninja. Iruka just didn't have enough heart to kill anyone and that showed. Oh, he could fight, defend himself. Kakashi knew that first hand and rubbed his jaw in memory. Iruka had a mean right hook. Kakashi could've dodged it, but he hadn't been expecting it, not from Iruka. He'd always seen Iruka as one to yell and vent his anger verbally, not physically. Iruka yelled all the time at his students, after all. He'd known Iruka had a temper; he'd seen it on more than one occasion. Still, he'd never expected it to be turned on him, at least, physically. He could handle the yelling. That's just how Iruka was. He would yell, be vocal about his anger, work it out through pacing, screaming, pointing, yelling. Rarely did he actually lash out in his anger because Iruka never did like violence. Some way of thinking for a ninja, huh? Still, it was something Kakashi admired Iruka for, and that made him want to protect Iruka's way of thinking. He wanted to give Iruka what he wanted, to protect him from those who would hurt him.

That was all Kakashi wanted.

It never occurred to him that in protecting Iruka he was actually hurting him. One could equate the situation to taking care of an injured bird. You kept the creature in a cage and even though the bird was healed and ready to fly, you kept it day after day after day until finally the bird died in its cage and you never really knew why.

Kakashi fell into step amongst several other rough looking men and the rest of the crowd that came back and forth across the small river to the city on the other side. Once on the ferry, he moved apart from the crowd to lean against the rail and watch the water's wake over the sides of the ship as they steamed through the choppy waters. He would find Iruka and he would bring him home. Because Konoha was where Iruka belonged, not out doing some mission that someone more… qualified… could do.


	5. Chapter 5

V.

"Ruka! Thank god, I thought I'd have to deal with those pigs all by myself."

Iruka smiled helplessly at Ukiyo and pulled at 'her' kimono sleeves. He'd been at this job at the Abeko for a week and had already made a friend in the young hostess. Ukiyo had been working at the Abeko for several years and knew the place better than anyone else. Iruka's female alter ego hadn't been so easy to pull off and anyone looking for clues to his real identity needed only to listen to his name. He'd been pressed, being stared at by the Abeko's owner during the interview, so he'd gone with simple. Drop the 'I' and just have the last four letters and voila, he had his new name. Ruka had been hired and given into Ukiyo's hands to train. So far, Iruka knew where the hidden door to the back was in the event he had to show some gentlemen to the gaming rooms. Ukiyo usually handled that job, since the waitresses usually had their hands full running to and from the kitchen and serving the usual patrons that came into the place.

Ukiyo dropped her hands onto Ruka's shoulders, hugging the younger woman and pretending to cry. When she pulled back and whimpered playfully, Ruka couldn't help but giggle and they shared a laugh. Ukiyo brushed a few brunette strands away from Ruka's face and tucked them behind her ear, adjusting the flower barrette the younger woman wore.

"There. That's better. You'll never catch any man's eye if you hide your beauty."

"Ukiyo-san, I don't want just any man," Ruka replied with a smile, earning a laugh from the hostess as she moved inside the restaurant, picking up her apron from her cubby and tying it around her. Iruka felt a little silly, wearing a girl's kimono and pretending to be female. Shigure had helped him with that little problem, introducing him to Mayuri, the maid. She, apparently, was related to Shigure and seemed to be just as enigmatic as the boy was. Still, she was much more open and talkative, and she had brushed out Iruka's hair from the normal tail and gave him the barrette to wear. Once he was ready to actually go out into the world, Mayuri had stopped him and given him a red cloth bag, a good luck charm, she'd said, from Shigure. Iruka kept the thing in his pocket.

Ukiyo waved him over before he actually began his shift, smiling at the younger woman. Iruka smiled back, leaning on the podium and looking over the seating chart Ukiyo kept there, head tilting as Ukiyo patted her shoulder.

"Ruka, any man would kill to have you for a wife."

Iruka only smiled, blushing a little bit, before he moved away from the podium to begin his shift in the restaurant. The place was busy, as usual, with new faces fresh off the ferry. Despite what the Abeko was supposedly known for, families ate here. Iruka watched the children and wondered if the only reason that families were allowed in was because the proprietor was scoping out fresh meat for the playrooms. He hadn't actually snuck back there yet to see what really went on behind those closed doors. The back hadn't exactly been on the tour. He knew he needed to get back there, to look for Yukari, but he hadn't exactly been given the opportunity. It seemed to him that the mysterious proprietor had a habit of not trusting the new employees. So Iruka hadn't done anything suspicious for the past week, working hard to make sure eyes were never turned on him so he could slip away for his lunch break and sneak into the back rooms. He estimated that it would be at least another week before the guards' eyes fell from his back to the rears of the other waitresses who worked here.

Ruka hurried around to her tables, talking amiably with the patrons there, giggling and acting out his part. He smoothly avoided the hands that went for his rump but blushed and hurried along as though those wandering hands had actually touched him. Already, he'd gained a reputation for being very shy when a sexual gesture or overture was made toward him. It made the more lonesome of the men try to make him blush. Iruka was sure there was a pool somewhere that held quite a bit of yen for the man who made him blush the reddest. It didn't seem fair to him, really.

Iruka finally was able to sit down for a bit to eat his bowl of rice prepared for the waitresses by the chefs when the door to the Abeko opened to introduce the current patrons to the newest hardened faces fresh off the barge. Iruka looked up as all a prone to do when something even remotely interesting might happen and nearly choked on the piece of eel he was chewing on when he saw something – or someone, rather – he recognized. He was frozen, mind screaming "No, no, no, no, NO!" when that mop of unbrushed silver hair paused at the hostess kiosk to wait his turn to be seated.

Why in the name of all that is holy is Kakashi doing here!? Iruka thought frantically, dropping his gaze back to his rice and pretending to make a rice ball with his chopsticks. He felt what he thought was the Sharingan gaze on him and fought not to look up. Were they replacing him? They couldn't be. Tsunade said that he'd been chosen specifically for this mission. So why was Kakashi here? Iruka shivered and finished off his lunch before he hurried to the kitchen to drop off his bowl. Well, he was in disguise wasn't he? Even with his famous Sharingan, Kakashi couldn't see through a jutsu that didn't exist, right? Mayuri had done her job well. He hoped, at least. Otherwise, he was screwed and the mission would be a failure.

"Ruka!" Ukiyo called. "Ruka, come here!"

I'm dead, I'm so dead. Iruka thought as he hurried over to the hostess and the silver-haired jounin that wore a disguise that did nothing to hide his identity. Iruka made a mental note to go over disguises with his students – and if even one failed he'd make them take the class over again – and smiled at Kakashi when he stopped beside Ukiyo.

"You called, Ukiyo-san?" Iruka said in his best female voice and watched an elegant eyebrow raise over Kakashi's unhidden eye. Iruka fought the shiver that wanted to ghost up his spine and smiled amiably at the silver-haired man.

"Ah, Ruka-chan, please show – what was your name again?"

Kakashi's visible eye crinkled. "Naruto."

Iruka's mind stuttered to a halt. How dare he? How dare he use Naruto's name – Iruka took a deep mental breath and calmed down. Of course Kakashi would have his suspicions. It wasn't like 'Ruka' was a common name and if he was here looking for 'Iruka' then the use of Naruto's name would incite a reaction. If 'Ruka' didn't react, then Kakashi would have no basis to follow her around and watch her. So Iruka hoped. So Iruka tilted his head at the use of the name and looked properly puzzled as Ukiyo continued.

"Ah, yes, Naruto-san, to a table? I have to run out to the market. We're out of strawberries."

"Of course, Ukiyo-san." Iruka smiled and bowed a little to Kakashi, gesturing for him to follow. Iruka kept his steps light and easy, portraying himself as he'd done this a thousand times before, leading Kakashi to a table in the corner, where he could see everything and his back would be to the wall. Iruka hoped it would seem like an honest mistake instead of a purposeful move, but as Kakashi sat down at the table and Iruka made to leave, Kakashi grabbed his wrist. Iruka stilled and turned back, putting on his best startled look as he stared back at the jounin.

"Will you be serving me?" Kakashi asked, looking almost lecherous. Iruka gave him a wan smile.

"When you're ready, Naruto-san." Ruka replied, pulling her wrist from Kakashi's hold and sauntering away, taking a moment to hide where the cubbies were and breathe. Kakashi was interested in Ruka. Well, if that wasn't a blow to the ego. It wasn't like Kakashi was ever interested in Iruka anyway beyond friendship and making Iruka blush to the point he thought he was going to die from blood loss or lack of it to certain important internal organs. Iruka shivered. Now wasn't the time to get upset over what would never be, could never be. He had a job to do, one that was important to his employer and to himself, because he'd be damned if he let that little girl get subjected to what happened to the girls who disappeared into the back every day at opening time. Doors closed in his mind, the loving teacher, the big brother, the friend, leaving him only thinking objectively.

Ruka stepped out from the cubby room and smiled as she passed familiar faces, pausing here and there to chat a bit before she made it back to Kakashi's table, pad in hand. She tilted her head and smiled happily, pen set against the paper.

"May I take your order, Naruto-san?"


	6. Chapter 6

VI.

When Kakashi had stepped off the barge, the first thing he had done was try and locate Iruka's trail again. He'd summoned one of his other dogs instead of Pakkun because Iruka would recognize the small dog. The husky that waited outside the Abeko wouldn't be mistaken as anything than another dog, waiting for her master to exit the building. Akiko's sharp nose had led him straight here to the Abeko, proving Iruka was somewhere inside the building. But as he stood waiting for be seated, he'd scanned the room, and couldn't locate the chuunin. He couldn't even sense a genjustu that could be concealing Iruka's identity, but that didn't mean Iruka was using one. There were other, less obvious ways to conceal an identity. So that's why he'd waited and studied the waitresses that were running about, eliminating possible suspects on body type alone. She was too small, she was too tall, and that one was too blonde, that one too dark. He'd eliminated nearly all of his possibilities when the hostess came over to him, flustered since too many people had come in at once today, and more had come in behind Kakashi. So she'd called his prime suspect, one he hadn't noticed before, to help her.

The girl, Ruka, was every bit as identical to his Iruka. The only missing feature was the scar across her face and the fact she had breasts. Honestly, it was the lack of the scar he noticed first! But she had nice breasts, small and round and probably firm. He gave himself a mental shake. He wasn't here to be checking out the girls, he was here to find his Iruka. But she set off the same bells Iruka did when the chuunin came around – or rather, when Kakashi went to visit, even during school hours – so he had to make sure she wasn't just some disguise his Iruka was wearing. So he picked the name that would get a rise out of the chuunin, because he would certainly recognize Kakashi, and by using Naruto's name, it would be like an insult, almost. But she hadn't reacted as he'd thought she would. In fact, she merely tilted her head in confusion at his pause because she hadn't reacted as he thought she would, and showed him to his table.

Ruka was polite, he noticed, and wondered if Iruka had a sister he'd never mentioned. Still, even if she was Iruka's sister, why would she be working here, in a place like this? So he studied her. She moved easily, with a practiced step that told him she'd been working here for years. Iruka wouldn't have had time to even fake that step, even if he'd been here a week. But Akiko couldn't be wrong. She'd told him the scent was very fresh and it hadn't moved on from here. Which meant Iruka was still here, but what his eye told him contradicted everything his poor husky told him. Akiko was never wrong, either. If he could bring her in here, she'd sniff Iruka out in a second. So he ordered a meal and watched Ruka work, disappearing into the kitchen to put in orders, reappearing to serve, blushing and giggling as several men hit on her, shaking her head and replying that she couldn't possibly serve them what they wanted because she was a waitress. That alone raised Kakashi's eyebrow. What was the Abeko then, if not a restaurant? Yes it was right on the outskirts of the red light district, but the disembarking passengers had to walk through some of the red light district just to get into the main part of the city. So the Abeko had been strategically placed to cater to the stomachs of hungry travelers, but then why couldn't the waitresses cater to their customers needs?

Ruka disappeared from his view for a moment, returning behind a man in a kimono, her eyes downcast in respect. The man settled in a chair at the table and waved Ruka away, and she hurried off to hide in some shadows by the hostess' desk. The two women clutched hands then and stared out of the corner of their eyes, discussing something Kakashi couldn t overhear. The other waitresses had similarly scattered and all conversation had gone down to whispers until the man in the kimono laughed and life returned to normal within the restaurant. His suspicions had been aroused by that, most certainly, and Ruka knew what was going on. So maybe he would just have to get close to her. He set some money down on the table when another waitress brought his tab, and stuffed his hands in his pockets to saunter over to Ruka and the hostess, giving a little nod as he made to walk out. He paused though, turning around, as though he had a question.

"Can I help you, Naruto-san?" the hostess asked, her head tilting as Ruka prudently stepped behind her, watching Kakashi from over the other woman's shoulders. Kakashi smiled a bit and nodded, scratching his head a bit. He took a minute to come up with a story, earning a suspicious glance from the hostess.

"Ah, yeah. I was supposed to meet a friend here. Perhaps you've seen him. He looks like Ruka-chan, but he has a scar across his nose."

"I haven't seen anyone like that here. What about you, Ruka-chan?"

"I haven't seen anyone like that either," Ruka said. "Maybe he just hasn't arrived yet. The Abeko isn't really popular amongst those of a high caste, you know. But you could ask Maki-san or Tae-san or Haruka-san. They might have seen him."

The hostess nodded a bit, half turning to look for the girls named but sighing when she didn't spot them. Or maybe she did, and she just didn't want to deal with Kakashi anymore. That tended to happen quite a bit.

"That could be. Perhaps… is your friend a lord? They usually stay in the upper city and wouldn't bother coming here to dine with the working class." The hostess said as she turned back to Kakashi. The silver haired jounin watched Ruka almost intently now, making the girl shiver and blush and look away. The hostess stepped in front of Ruka then, shielding her from Kakashi's gaze.

"I think if you're finished here, Naruto-san, it would be in your best interest to leave. My girls are very busy." The hostess told him as he stared at Ruka even more intently than before. Kakashi finally nodded, watching Ruka's cheeks grow to be the even deeper red of embarrassment, and took his leave of the restaurant. He didn't go far though, collecting Akiko and sitting with her on the roof of the opposite building, watching the restaurant now. Ruka's reaction to his staring struck a chord in him, reminding him of a time in the missions office when he'd embarrassed Iruka in front of the other jounin and chuunin in the room. Iruka's face had grown so red he'd thought the younger man would die of blood loss to his heart before the chuunin had exploded at him and yelled at him to get out.

He'd wisely retreated and then had become the butt of sexually-oriented jokes by the other jounin.

He'd laughed along with the jokes, but secretly wanted to make Iruka blush like that in private for a completely different reason than staring. Oh, he'd stare, but he'd follow up the staring by making sure Iruka knew just exactly who he belonged to and no one else could challenge his claim on the chuunin.

Ruka's blush though had told him that maybe she knew more than she'd let on. The hostess certainly did, but she would never talk to him. Ruka, though, just might. It wouldn't be too hard to scare her into doing what he wanted her to do. So he waited, watching the building, and when the last lamp finally went out in the restaurant after the last few patrons exited the building, Ruka stepped out, pulling on a coat and saying good-bye to the hostess, bowing when the man in the kimono appeared, and then taking off running before it got too dark.

Kakashi followed. He'd catch her and get the truth. She wasn't Iruka, but maybe she knew where he was. No, she most certainly knew where he was, and she'd pay for hiding him from Kakashi. There was always a thin line between pleasure and pain and Kakashi could blend the two quite easily. There wasn't a woman alive who he couldn't seduce and Ruka would be his next victim.

When he caught her, of course.


	7. Chapter 7

VII.

Iruka was panicking. He knew he shouldn't be, because the panic would only set off Kakashi's alarm bells, but he couldn't help it. He suspected Ruka. Kakashi suspected Ruka and he didn't know how close to the truth he'd been when he compared Ruka to Iruka. They were the same person after all! Iruka felt a little proud that his disguise, his Oiroke no Jutsu, had fooled Kakashi. But for how long he didn't know. Kakashi was a genius but most of all he was first and foremost a -jounin- and jounin were naturally suspicious of everything. Iruka always left the Abeko at a run, since he lingered until dark, helping clean up the restaurant with Yutenji-san, the Abeko's co-owner, and Ukiyo. Iruka wanted to like Yutenji, as the man was careful about who he let into the back rooms, and he protected the waitresses when men tried to get some unlisted dessert from them. He didn't talk much to the waitresses, but then, he was only there to make sure everything ran perfectly and without a hitch. Yutenji even snuck the girls in some candy or rice cakes he managed to acquire, and didn't complain if the girls took breaks longer than they were supposed to. He truly did want to like the other man, but there was something about him that set off warning bells in Iruka's head. A good ninja took heed of those warning bells; an excellent ninja listened and became suspicious. Iruka almost missed the shadow that passed above him as he turned the corner toward the apartment Shigure had rented for him, pausing and shivering, acting the part of a scared girl in the bad part of town. Anyone watching wouldn't know the difference between his action and his true intention. He started moving again at an easy jog this time and he saw his follower. He swallowed and fought the urge to just bolt. Kakashi was following him, following Ruka, because he suspected something. Did he know? Had he figured it out? Iruka fought the panic down. He couldn't panic because that's what would only confirm Kakashi's suspicions. Ruka would run home because it was dark and the neighbourhood wasn't safe during that time, so Kakashi couldn't attack her for answers because he'd be taken down by a single scream from Ruka. A woman screaming at night, here in the lower city, was like a mating call to those who wanted to play hero to get a little bit of hero worship from the rescued lady. Usually, the man who made the woman scream was often stoned or beat to death. Iruka climbed the stairs to his apartment and fumbled for his key, humming a children's song as he did. He opened the door, stepped inside, closed and locked the door behind him before pulling off his jacket. Kakashi would probably find a way in, he was sure, but he wouldn't risk it, not while Ruka was awake. Iruka moved to his bedroom to set out his pajamas and get ready for a shower, pulling his charm bag from his pocket. He studied the thing as he would a gift from a lover, and picked up a towel to take into the bathroom. He closed the door and pulled the blinds down over the window, pulling off his kimono and setting that, the towel, and the charm on the sink counter before starting the bath. He listened to what was happening in his apartment, and heard nothing but silence as he stepped under the spray.

When he stepped out, he wrapped himself in the towel and tied the charm bag to his wrist, gathering up his kimono and stepping out of the bathroom. His apartment hadn't been touched. No, it had. The lamp by the eastern window of the den had been nearly knocked over and then replaced. Iruka shivered and hurried to dry and dress. If Kakashi were in here, he'd be attacked as soon as he was decent. Kakashi was many things, but he at least gave a victim the chance to make him or herself as decent as possible before they were attacked. Of course, it was a very small window of opportunity, and Iruka wasn't going to waste it. He almost forgot to enact the Oiroke, but knew Kakashi would feel the flux of jutsu and closed his eyes. He should've enacted it in the shower. The water would've diluted the power just enough to go unnoticed and, well, no use crying over spilled milk, right?

Iruka pulled on his pajamas and moved to turn out all the lights, settling in bed beneath the covers. He fell asleep with the distinct notion he was being watched.

Kakashi was sitting outside the window of the bedroom, indeed watching Ruka sleep. When she'd disappeared into the bathroom, he'd lost sight of her. He supposed the fates hated him because he would've been able to see Ruka naked. With her vulnerable like that, certain suspicions would be assuaged. Instead, he'd missed something and he felt it had been important. When Ruka rolled toward his view, he sighed in disappointment. There was no telltale scar across her face, so she was most certainly not Iruka. But she could still know where he was. Akiko had told him Iruka's scent began and ended here, so Iruka had been here and recently. Kakashi's thought processes jumped a bit. Could Iruka be Ruka's partner in whatever mission he was on? Maybe she was a contact, the insider. Or maybe she was his lover. They were suited for each other. The second option was much more likely than the first and so Ruka must be Iruka's lover.

Which meant she had to go, because Iruka belonged to him. No one else could have him.

But she could have her uses first. If he seduced her, maybe that would draw Iruka out. Iruka could be possessive and Kakashi knew this because of the chuunin exams, how Iruka had wanted to test Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura before they even began the test. It made Kakashi feel angry that Iruka didn't trust him to properly teach his genin, but Iruka had practically raised Naruto and the other two held a special place in his heart, so Kakashi had understood. He'd let the chuunin test the genin until he was satisfied and after that had come the silence. If he took Iruka's woman, perhaps he'd get that silence again until Iruka decided to get over it. But he couldn't enter the apartment now. He'd scare the woman to death and if she died then his chance of finding Iruka was close to nil.

So he watched her until dawn when she woke up and got about her day.

He left her briefly to get breakfast for him and his loyal Akiko, who'd slept beneath Ruka's window playing guard dog. As he watched Ruka prepare to leave her home, an idea came to him. He couldn't keep an eye on Ruka, but his furry companion could. Akiko could keep Ruka company and report to him on her. But he'd have to get Akiko to meet Ruka and get Ruka to keep her, somehow. He followed Ruka to the market, watching her buy food for her apartment, and it occurred to him today was her day off from work. Perfect. Kakashi slipped into an alley and called Akiko to his side, crouching down to tangle his hands in the husky's scruff and pet her.

"I need you to follow Ruka around,"

"You can't be serious," Akiko replied, tail swishing back and forth. Her master's gaze, though, told her he was completely serious. She sighed. "All right."

"Good," Kakashi stroked the husky's forehead, smiling. "I'll make a situation, you rescue her."

Akiko's tail tick-tocked once and she got to her paws, trotting out into the crowd to catch up to Ruka. The girl was meeting with a boy now, the two speaking in low tones that even she couldn't hear from the distance she was at, but her ears pricked up anyway. The boy seemed to be a person of interest, certainly. A loud explosion rocked the marketplace, sending people screaming, Even Akiko looked over at the direction of the explosion, watching who she knew was her master running away from the scene and toward Ruka, who now stood alone. Akiko blinked in confusion; she hadn't even seen the boy leave! Ruka gasped as the arsonist ran at her, only to be stopped by a snarling husky, the dog baring her teeth and snapping as the arsonist tried to grab the girl, biting onto the arsonist's outstretched arm. Silently, Akiko apologized to Kakashi, but she felt this needed to look real.

She also considered the bite punishment, or revenge, take your pick, because what he was doing was such a dumbass thing to do. Honestly, if Kakashi wanted to call attention to himself, all he had to do was pull out whatever volume of Icha Icha he had at the present moment. He didn't need to waste precious chakra, nor exploding tags. Idiot.

The local yakuza and authorities soon took down the arsonist, and by that time, Kakashi had already pulled a kawarimi no jutsu, and gotten away. Ruka had run too, so Akiko followed the girl's scent to an alleyway where the girl was catching her breath. Akiko whined quietly, looking up at the brunette girl and faking a limp as she came closer to her. Ruka jumped a bit before she turned to look at the white dog, her expression softening. Ruka crouched then, holding her hand out to the canine, which Akiko snuffled and licked as any stray looking for a home would do. Ruka's hands were gentle as they slid through Akiko's fur, down to her supposedly injured paw. Akiko's nose was assaulted with all sorts of scents; Ruka's own, those from the street, the restaurant, and the scent of a foreign chakra. It didn't make any sense to her, but she filed that away to tell Kakashi later. Right now, she needed to go home with Ruka and stay there.

"You poor thing," Ruka whispered, stroking the dog's injured leg as the canine pressed closer to her, seeking attention. Akiko thought her acting well done, because Ruka did her best to pick her up to keep her from walking on her injured paw, but when that failed, Ruka did her best to help her walk home to the apartment. Akiko settled herself on the couch and let Ruka wrap her paw, and sighed in mock relief. She winced at one point, when Ruka's back was turned, because she certainly wasn't acting the part of a real canine with a canine's intelligence. She had to remember that she couldn't act intelligent and constantly remind herself of that. Her brothers would make fun of her if they knew she had to act stupid, especially when she was the brains on most of the missions they were called for, with the exception of Pakkun. He was one of the smart ones and the voice of reason most of the time. No wonder Kakashi chose her for this; She, at least, would follow along against her better judgment and regret it in hindsight. Ruka scratched the dog's ears and moved into the kitchen to put away her groceries. Iruka didn't know what he'd just done by bringing Akiko into his home, an innocent love for animals potentially ruining his entire mission. Still, as Iruka waited for night to fall, he watched the dog sleep on his couch, unable to tell the difference between a sleeping dog and a waiting ninja dog. Akiko felt bad for deceiving the girl like this, but when darkness fell, Akiko opened her eyes to see Ruka - but it couldn't be Ruka, because this was decidedly male - dressed in black, pulling a mask over his face. She'd missed any telling details to report to Kakashi and mentally kicked herself a little bit. The male moved over to her and crouched to scratch Akiko's muzzle.

"I'll be back," the man whispered, and disappeared in a puff of smoke and burning ozone. Akiko jumped to her feet and trotted to the window, flipping the latch of the window with her paw to let her master in. Once she'd made her report, Kakashi was off in a flash, chasing after the mystery male. Akiko wondered, after a moment, if she'd made the right decision in letting Kakashi get a whiff of the chakra trail and then run off after the man. Well, it wasn't like she couldn't call him back now, anyway.

She also wondered why Iruka needed to hide behind the guise of a woman, but that bit of information Akiko had kept to herself. Iruka had to have a good reason to be using that sort of disguise and she was sure part of that reason had to deal with a certain silver haired jounin Akiko called master. Kakashi needed to learn on his own the right way to court his chosen mate. After all, Iruka was full of fire, and Kakashi needed to learn that some fires, especially the fires on which life was based, weren't meant to be doused.


	8. Chapter 8

VIII

Iruka bounded lightly over the roofs of sleeping citizens of Iiga, heading toward the Abeko. He'd been careful in choosing his outfit, taking a page out of Kakashi's book and making a mask to cover his face. The less his identity was seen, the more he could wander around as Ruka within the establishment and find clues to Yukari's whereabouts. He landed gently outside the door, pulling out a fuda that would silently unlock the door and leave no trace, creaking open the door and slipping inside, removing the fuda and tucking it into the pouch on his thigh again. The restaurant was so different at night, dead except for a soft light that shone from beneath the door that led to the back rooms. That was his goal and so he crept along, pausing for a long moment to listen at the door for sounds that could be a particular threat. Hearing no such sound, Iruka tried the door and found it unlocked. He grew suspicious then and shifted to pull a small mirror out of his leg-pouch, along with a small telescoping rod. He attached the mirror to the rod and slipped it through the small crack he created as he eased the door open. The mirror showed him an empty hallway, the walls covered in soft carpet. Iruka shuddered, knowing exactly what the carpet did, but he filed that away for later and extended the rod a little more, trying to get a full view of the hall. There was nothing he could see, nothing that would pose a danger to him, and so he retracted the rod and slipped all the pieces away, easing open the door wide enough to let him inside. He closed the door behind him and crept down the hallway, looking everywhere for cameras. A simple locating jutsu confirmed there were no hidden cameras and so he continued on his way, creeping step by easing step until he came to the first door set on the left side of the hall. He peeked into the window and saw a girl lying on a bed within the room. She was naked, one shapely leg bent beneath her as she rose up, arching her back to display her breasts, dancing on the bed for the benefit of whoever was in the room with her. Her head rolled to the side and Iruka shuddered, ducked his head and moved on. She wasn't Yukari.

He passed a few more doors on the right and left sides of the hallway, peeking into each one and seeing men riding the girls or the girls riding the men or girls sleeping in their beds with a red blanket pulled over them. None of these rooms held the girl he was looking for. The last door led to yet another hallway, this one again blanketed by soft carpet on the walls and floors, but something about this hall was odd. These rooms had clipboards beside the doors, like a hospital room would. He didn't see anyone in the hall and bent to unlock the door, slipping to the other side and locking the door again. No need to leave a trace. Iruka skittered past doors that were dark and whose clipboards were blank, pausing when he heard voices. They were growing louder, nearing the door he stood next to. He flashed through a few hand seals and transformed himself into a potted plant just in time as the door opened a few seconds later, two men exiting the room speaking amongst each other. Iruka couldn't understand what they were saying, but it didn't bode well, he was sure. He waited until he was sure they were gone before he released the jutsu, pressing against the wall and listening for any more movement.

He shifted to the other side of the door to examine the clipboard and managed to keep his sigh of relief quiet. This was her room, the room that belonged to Yukari. Now all he needed to do was slip in and get her out. If only it was that easy. He shifted to unlock the door and slipped inside the room. The sterile smell was what got to him first, making him shiver. That scent proved something was wrong and soon he knew exactly what when he saw the bed and the girl lying in it. Yukari's eyes were closed, her chest rising and falling with even breath, her body covered with dark blankets. She appeared to just be sleeping, but when Iruka's first few attempts to wake her failed, he soon saw why. An IV ran from her left arm to a fluid packet hanging above her bed from a hook, dripping clear liquid into her system. Iruka needed to take a sample of that fluid, he knew, because if it were a drug of some kind he would need to figure out how to defeat it. The only problem then was taking a sample without alerting anyone there was a stranger in Yukari's room. If he managed to get this sample, he could take it to Shigure and see if Shigure could get to the resources to analyze it. Carefully, Iruka reached up to the bag and sliced a little hole in the top of the back, furthest away from the fluid. A small tube then was pulled out of the pouch on his thigh, moving to insert the tube into the bag down into the fluid.

Just a little bit of breath exhaled and Iruka put the other end of the tube into his mouth, sucking lightly to get a decent sample. He pulled away from the tube and stoppered it with his thumb as he extricated the tube from the bag, a vial catching the other end as the liquid was deposited into the glass vial. Iruka soon slipped everything away and shifted to try and free Yukari. Then the lights in the hallway began to flash, a warning that someone had broken in. Iruka panicked a little bit, because he had taken such care in avoiding those alarms and traps that would alert the muscle that patrolled the back rooms during business hours. Iruka had to escape and escape quickly. He looked down at the little girl who lay so limply under the blankets. He'd finally found her and now he had to leave her again. Footsteps alerted him that trouble was coming and Iruka hurried to erase all evidence of his presence in the room. He moved to the door and slipped out, hurrying down the hall. Now that the alarms were going off, there was no more reason for stealth, so Iruka ran as fast as he could to get back to the main restaurant and outside.

He made it, just before one of the bounces caught sight of him. Iruka didn't stop running though, because he didn't know if he was being followed or not. And he was, just not by someone who really wanted to hurt him. He glanced behind him for the sake of seeing if anyone was behind him and saw a flash of silver just a few feet behind him. Iruka dodged and felt the wind of Kakashi's passing against his back. Iruka dove to the rooftop and rolled as Kakashi made another pass at him and used the momentum of his roll to launch him back to his feet to keep running. There was no way he'd be able to fight Kakashi and if Kakashi caught him everything would be over. He didn't want it to end, because he knew Kakashi wouldn't care about the little girl lying so helplessly in the very back of a brothel. Iruka leapt to the ground and just kept running, knowing Kakashi was right behind him, he did his best to lose him.

His hands flashed through seals and three clones bounded off in opposite directions as the real Iruka ran toward his apartment. Maybe he'd get lucky and the clones, which would give Iruka a head start in getting back to his apartment and hiding everything before Kakashi arrived to spy, would fool Kakashi.

There was a flux in his chakra and Iruka knew a clone of his had been attacked. The clones weren't meant for combat, nor were they meant to be caught by a grip harder than a lover's caress. It hadn't cost Iruka much chakra to make them, so that was why they were so weak. Iruka rounded the corner when he felt another clone disappear and he was just about to hurry down the alley next to his building that would take him to the back stairs when he felt the final clone die. He extended his hand to grab onto the bar that ran up the side of the stairwell when his wrist was grabbed, Kakashi pulling him close and then shoving him against the wall.

Iruka panicked. His mask concealed his face so Kakashi wouldn't recognize him right away, but the jounin would recognize his voice as soon as he spoke. So he did the only thing his panicking brain could come up with. He lunged toward Kakashi and kissed him hard. The jounin hadn't been expecting that and his grip went slack, allowing Iruka to extricate his wrist and escape up the stairs, pulling off his costume as he went, managing only by some miracle to take refuge in his apartment before Kakashi regained his wits. He leaned against the door and caught his breath, before he moved to change his clothes from his black costume to his pajamas, hiding his thigh-pouch in his nightstand as he picked up the charm bag that he'd left on the tabletop before head left. The chuunin curled up in bed and tried to sleep, waking briefly when the white dog hopped up on the bed with him, curling up at his feet and falling back to sleep.

Iruka shivered and finally fell asleep, dreaming about Kakashi and another time and place where they could actually be together, in some sort of perfect world. Because, despite the kiss, Kakashi wasn't here for him, because he missed him, and if Kakashi knew that Iruka was the one who had kissed him, Iruka would probably die. It had been impulse, really, to kiss Kakashi, a deep desire brought up by panic, and Iruka cried harder because the action would never be repeated. Kakashi wasn't here for a confession of love, like the prince who chases after his stubborn princess to tell her that he was in love with her; he was here to bring Iruka back to Konoha where the mission would be then undertaken by another shinobi or even a kunoichi that was better qualified for being out in the field. Iruka wasn't aware of the wet tongue that crossed his cheek, licking away the tears that fell. Akiko heaved a sigh and settled down beside Iruka, wishing she could do something more for the poor chuunin.


	9. Chapter 9

IX

Akiko pranced beside Ruka as she and the human wandered through Iiga. Ruka had a few hours before she had to go to the restaurant and begin her shift, so she was wasting time by wandering around. It was probably driving Kakashi nuts. Akiko, however, had figured out that Ruka was wandering on purpose. She'd figured out the little ploy and thought Iruka rather bright for coming up with it. The charm bag that Iruka had tied around his wrist now sealed him within the Oiroke no Jutsu, but it wasn't permanent and it didn't change his physical being. In other words, underneath every single thread of chakra that made Iruka look like a woman, he was still a man. She wondered how Iruka had done it. Iruka turned down an alleyway and stopped at the end, dropping to her knees to fiddle with the hem of her kimono. Akiko sat down beside her like the loyal canine she was and waited. There was nothing wrong with Ruka's kimono, Akiko knew, so why did Iruka - Ruka, Akiko corrected herself, this was getting difficult - feel the need to pretend that something was bothering her?

The sudden appearance of the young man from the day before answered Akiko's question. She hadn't even sensed him approach, hadn't scented any chakra or ozone that was the telltale sign of a teleportation jutsu. He was just there, staring down at Ruka before he crouched down beside her, as though he was offering help.

"I found her, Shigure," Ruka whispered. "She's in the Abeko. I can get her out, but there's a problem."

Akiko glanced toward Shigure, the boy who'd suddenly appeared, and watched his face change from its stoic mask to a little frown. "What sort of problem?"

"She's being drugged." Ruka replied and she reached inside her kimono to pull out a little vial filled with clear liquid. Shigure took the offered vial and studied it as Ruka continued to speak. "I don't know what it is and I don't have the resources right now to test it."

"It will take me a few days," Shigure replied. "Can you keep an eye on her until then?"

"I can do my best. She's not being… used… and I don't know when they'll start."

Shigure rose, tucking the vial into his shirt and tilted his head, looking to the side, away from Ruka, thinking. "Just do your best, Iruka-san. Haomaru-sama is counting on you to keep her alive."

"But the trauma-"

"Trauma can be forgotten or made better. It depends on the person. Of course, we all hope nothing happens, but one can't predict the actions of other people." Shigure turned to Iruka and help him to stand, sighing quietly. "All you can do is your best. If worse comes to worst, she'll be sent to the countryside to heal. All wounds heal in time, Iruka-san, and time is all we have right now."

Akiko switched her tail and wondered whom exactly this boy Shigure was. He spoke with wisdom far beyond his years, and he didn't look older than seventeen or eighteen at the most. Akiko didn't doubt his intelligence. His green eyes saw much more than they revealed and there was something about him that sang to her as much as Kakashi and Iruka did. He bowed a little bit to Ruka and when Iruka sighed, Akiko pulled her gaze away from Shigure, just for a moment. When she looked back, he was gone, and they were alone in the alley. Ruka turned and began to wander toward her home so Akiko took the opportunity to slip away and go find Kakashi. She found him lurking around Ruka's apartment building just after Ruka entered the building, and sat by his feet, waiting for her to acknowledge her.

"Well?" Kakashi prompted.

"Ruka is a good girl, Kakashi. You should leave her alone."

"She knows where Iruka is."

"Don't you think you're being a little overprotective?" Akiko winced at the glare she got from Kakashi's single eye. "Iruka is a strong ninja. He can take care of himself."

"No he can't." Kakashi replied almost adamantly. "He's not strong at all. He only pretends. Akiko, you know something, don't you?"

The white husky gave a sigh. "Ruka's working undercover. She's working for the rival syndicate against the Abeko, looking for a little girl who went missing a while ago."

Kakashi's lips drew into a thin line. "So she could know where Iruka is."

"That's not what I said."

"I know." Kakashi said. "But if she's on a mission, she might've run into him. For all I know, Iruka was in those back rooms last night."

You don't know how right you are, Akiko thought dryly. Only, she knew Kakashi meant his sentence in an entirely different way than Akiko did. Iruka had been in those back rooms last night, only not as one of the girls who gave pleasure to the men. He'd been trying to save one of the girls when Kakashi screwed it all up, at least that was what Akiko gathered from Iruka's quiet whimpering while he slept and Kakashi's dumbfounded look when he mentioned some stranger had kissed him. Some stranger, Akiko snorted. Iruka had kissed him. His scent was all over Kakashi and if she didn't know any better, she'd say that Iruka and Kakashi had taken a roll in the sack. Their scents changed whenever they thought about one another and she, the poor canine, was stuck scenting everything while her two stupid humans danced around the bush. Of course, Kakashi had never asked anyone to share his bed before, let alone admitted he loved anyone, and Iruka probably had never considered inviting someone to his home and sharing intimate moments with that someone. It was as though they were adolescents again.

Akiko snorted. Kakashi looked down at her and tilted his head. She merely fluffed her fur with a few licks and stretched, looking up at her master. Kakashi was looking back at her, eye confused for a few moments before he finally looked away from his husky, back to the building Ruka had disappeared into. She was emerging now, hopping on one foot as she pulled on a geta sandal, hurrying down the street toward the Abeko. Kakashi tilted his head and moved to follow, Akiko taking a leap to keep up. She was hurrying, even passed Kakashi who, for once, wasn't trying to catch Ruka like a ninja, probably because he knew she'd scream, so he was hanging back. Akiko caught up with no problem, giving a short bark to get Ruka's attention. The girl whirled and looked down at the dog, crouching to pet her muzzle.

"I can't play today, puppy. I have to go to work." Ruka said with a smile. "I'll play with you when I get home okay?" Ruka stood up and moved to run, but paused when she heard a voice call her name. No, not her name. Iruka's. She looked around at her surroundings, not quite believing her ears until she looked down at the white husky that stared at her with intelligent blue eyes. Ruka swallowed, crouching again, not caring if she'd be late to begin her shift. She reached out to the dog, fighting to keep her hand from shaking.

"What did you say…?"

The canine winced. "I'm sorry, Iruka."

"You're one of Kakashi's aren't you? I thought so."

"You suspected the entire time?"

Iruka gave a wan smile. "I figured it out when you kept disappearing and reappearing. The fact that you didn't snarl at Shigure was helpful too."

"I'm sorry I deceived you."

Iruka stood up and shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You know now."

Yes, Akiko replied silently. But there was someone who didn't know, and that someone was coming very quickly. Iruka just smiled at her and patted his thigh to get her to follow, which she did, a very obedient dog. She should tell Iruka what Kakashi planned to do, but now, her throat wouldn't work. Was she nervous, or did Kakashi know she'd just blown her cover, and quite possibly, his own? Iruka already knew Kakashi was here, looking for him, but he wasn't sure why, and Akiko certainly wouldn't have told him. There were things about humans she and her brethren didn't quite understand, but in mating, it was every dog - or in this case, man - for himself.

She stood outside the Abeko as Iruka disappeared inside and slowly crept around to an alley where she could sit and watch in case there was trouble. Kakashi's hand appeared in her scruff and held tight, so she looked up at him, gave a doggy smile of shame, and whimpered mournfully when Kakashi released the jutsu that kept her in the physical plane. Akiko hoped Kakashi knew what the hell he was doing and not just being an emotional wreck because of a little mistake. Kakashi though, thought himself quite clever as he marched into the Abeko, smiling amicably at the hostess and pinpointing Ruka in the room. She was serving a group of transporters tea, chatting happily and blushing as one made a swipe at her rump, politely speaking something to him. Kakashi really needed to brush up on his lip-reading, he decided, and made a note to practice when he brought Iruka back to Konoha. He was shown to a table and watched Ruka dance around the tables, serving meals and drinks. The man from before was present, Kakashi noticed, the man Ruka had gone to fetch the first time he was here, watching the floor like a hawk.

Some men, Kakashi observed, followed the boss to a door in the back, the same door Kakashi had attempted to get through before the alarm had gone off and alerted people to his presence. He touched his fingers to his lips, an idle motion, but it held significance for him. The masked man he'd chased from the Abeko had kissed him, and that kiss had been full of passion and wanting and fear, and Kakashi had been stunned. He hadn't been expecting the kiss at all, nor had he expected anyone to want to kiss him. He wished the person who'd done that to him had been Iruka, because if it had, he wouldn't have let the brunette go. No, he'd have dragged Iruka up to the apartment the bitch Ruka owned and claimed his chuunin all over the place. But the man hadn't been Iruka and so in his surprise he'd allowed the man to get away. He was still kicking himself over that. He stood up after a few moments and began to wander over to the door that led to the back, only to find his way blocked by Ruka. He smiled down at her, but the smile didn't quite reach his eye. He didn't want to use the Sharingan on her, but he would if he needed to. Her actions only proved to him that there was something - or someone - important hiding in those back rooms.

"Naruto-san, you aren't allowed back there without permission." Ruka said, trying to be calm.

"Ruka-chan," Kakashi said politely and clamped his teeth shut, moving around the girl and moving to push through the door. Ruka grabbed his arm, trying to pull back on him, trying to get him to stop. Kakashi didn't. They tumbled through the door, a tangle of limbs, Kakashi fighting to get Ruka pinned. She was a lioness! Lips drawn back in a snarl, eyes flashing, it took Kakashi all of five minutes to pin her down. He glared down at her, shifting both her wrists to one hand and moved to pull his patch up to reveal his Sharingan eye.

"Kakashi! Let me go!" Ruka hissed, glaring at him. The silver haired jounin paused, looking down at the woman, as though he didn't hear her quite right.

"Iruka?"

He got a glare, a glare he knew all too well, so Kakashi got to his feet, quite startled, and watched the girl - Iruka - get to her - his - feet. Iruka dusted off his kimono and glared at the jounin, hands on his hips. Kakashi reached out to pet Iruka's cheek, stunned and startled and smiled. Iruka didn't.

"Kakashi, you need to get out of here. If they catch you back here, they'll hurt you."

"Iruka, you need to come with me."

"I have a job to do."

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do. I'm not going to discuss this with you right now! Get out!" Iruka was met with silence and he realized that Kakashi was staring over his shoulder. Iruka slowly turned around to stare up into the eyes of Yutenji and several customers, and stepped back into Kakashi's solid frame. The fear in Iruka's eyes wasn't all feigned and the perverse glee that appeared in several eyes made him all the more fearful.

"Ruka-chan," Yutenji said lowly, "You know the rules. Come with me, please."


	10. Chapter 10

X

Kakashi was fairly sure he'd never actually flown with help before. Perhaps there had been a few times when he and Gai had gotten smashed at Asuma's place and Asuma had tossed them out the window because he hadn't wanted to deal with their drunken antics. But when Kakashi slammed headfirst into wooden crates lining the alley wall, he was certain he'd fallen from a severe height and not tossed out the back door of the restaurant. He slowly got to his feet and shook himself, staring at the now-closed and most likely locked door. There was no way he'd be able to fight his way in, not if Iruka's life hung in the balance. They were probably waiting for such a move, a knife to Iruka's throat, waiting to spill the lifeblood onto the floor. They'd take pleasure in it, no doubt, and Kakashi wouldn't risk Iruka's life again. He'd made a mistake, one that had cost Iruka his freedom, and he refused to make another that would cost Iruka his life. As long as Iruka's true identity remained hidden beneath the jutsu that made him appear as a woman, he was safe. Kakashi hoped.

He rubbed his head, trying to think of a plan to rescue Iruka, to get him out of there. His mind was blank, though, blank because of his failure, because he had let Iruka down. Iruka had been counting on Kakashi to protect him, and Kakashi had failed. So now he had to figure out how to get Iruka back and he couldn't think of anything. He stumbled out to the edge of the alley and leaned against the wall, brain working a mile a minute but coming up with nothing. He brought his hands together and flashed through several seals. Akiko stretched and yawned as she stared at her master, head tilting.

"Where's Ruka?"

"In there. But you knew that, already, didn't you?"

"We know what you know, Kakashi."

"You knew Ruka was Iruka."

Akiko sighed. "For all your years, Kakashi, you certainly don't know shit about relationships."

"Perhaps I missed that lesson."

"When? In between being an insensitive jounin genius jerk and a psychotic pervert?"

Kakashi eye narrowed but Akiko didn't back down. Kakashi sighed and closed his eye, leaning against the wall, sliding down to rest on the ground, head angled down. Akiko stepped a bit closer to him and sat between his feet, head lowering to touch her nose to his fingers.

"Help me, Akiko. Iruka's in danger because of me."

Akiko sighed and settled down at his feet, pawing the concrete. "It's a prostitution ring, from what Iruka learned. Iruka should be safe for a little while. But…"

"But?" Kakashi leaned forward, grabbing his husky's scruff and pulling her up so they could stare at each other, eye to eye. Akiko shivered and Kakashi tightened his grip.

"There's someone I think you should meet. If Iruka's compromised then his mission could be too."

Kakashi gave a heavy sigh and struggled to his feet. "Lead the way, Akiko."

"Make me a promise first."

Kakashi's eye narrowed again, suspicious. "What promise?"

"Promise me you'll trust Iruka more than what you've done. Promise me you'll respect him."

"I do respect him."

Akiko made a noise that made Kakashi think of a mother staring down at her child with the skeptical look of 'I caught you' after the child said he hadn't been eating cookies before dinner. Kakashi sighed quietly and nodded.

"I promise."

Akiko twitched her tail and got to her feet. She led Kakashi out of the alley into the streets, trotting easily toward the last place Iruka had been, where she had first scented this Shigure. He would know how to help Iruka, Shigure could help Kakashi and maybe get him to understand the delicate predicament Iruka was in.

She hoped.

Iruka shivered and tried to curl up tighter in the corner of the room he'd been shoved in after being forcibly separated from Kakashi. Yutenji had watched his subsequent pawing with a detached gaze, not caring in the slightest that Iruka fought against being violated by hands and eyes alike. He could only thank the gods that the violations had only been to disarm him and take away anything of value. He was glad then, that his charm bag hadn't been removed from his wrist. That had been a gift from Shigure, and though he hadn't quite figured out its function, he was starting to understand. His chakra was limited, and he could only hold the Oiroke for a few hours at best, so he had begun to understand that this charm helped facilitate the illusion of his being female. How he didn't know, but, he was grateful, for the moment. He pulled his kimono tighter around his body and bowed his head. He'd been so close, a few more days and he would've met Shigure so he could get the cure for whatever drug they were giving Yukari and rescue her. But now, he needed rescuing himself and his only hope had been Kakashi. But in an effort not to blow his cover, he'd elbowed Kakashi hard in the ribs and tried pleading with Yutenji for another chance. It didn't work.

Apparently, several men had had their eye on Ruka for a long time, and now they had their opportunity to have her. Iruka shivered and fought not to cry.

It wasn't fair. He'd worked so hard to get this far and Kakashi had come to screw it all up. He didn't understand Kakashi at all. They were friends, Iruka had thought, and friends trusted one another. It was obvious, though, that Kakashi didn't trust him. He didn't trust in his abilities or even his integrity. Iruka doubled over, crying quietly into his knees. Of course, it wasn't all Kakashi's fault.

Some of the blame lay on Iruka's shoulders too. He shouldn't have tried to deceive Kakashi for so long. He should've contacted him the moment he arrived and enlisted his help. They could've rescued Yukari and been back on the road to Konoha by now. Iruka wouldn't be sitting helpless in a cold room wearing the guise of a woman and hoping he wasn't raped.  
Ruka looked up as the door opened and noticed a man's silhouette in the doorway. She shivered, whimpered, drew back further as Yutenji moved toward her. He didn't bother to order her to stand; his fist crashed into her cheek before she could even utter a word. Ruka hit the ground hard, stunned but the unexpected blow had done more than just stun her. Iruka's head was ringing and when he tried to roll over, he was pinned. Yutenji straddled his back, holding him down, his right arm pulled out to its full extension. Iruka fought now, struggling to get away. Yutenji, however, just moved with Iruka's movements, pinning him down after Iruka rolled onto his back, staring wide-eyed at the man he'd thought he liked.

"Don't look so frightened, Ruka." Yutenji said. "In a few minutes, you won't care what happens to you."

"Don't, please, I said I was sorry! I-"

Yutenji's open palm cracked across her face. Using the moment of sudden pain and shock, Yutenji pulled a syringe from his sleeve and tapped it as he straddled Iruka's hips. Ruka was a little wildcat, still struggling despite the futileness of it. He just moved with her movements, keeping his weight even above her. She wouldn't be able to escape, and after a few moments, she wouldn't even think about running away. All she would think about was pleasing her customer, pleasing whoever bought her. He uncapped the needle and gently pricked Iruka's inner arm, smiling when he found a vein.

"Doesn't matter. You know how much money you'll bring me as a doll? You think I didn't know about you, Ruka? About your meetings with that asshole Haomaru? Well, I think I've found a better job for you than waitressing and all you have to do is spread your legs like a good little whore." Yutenji grinned. "You won't even care after a few doses."

Iruka shivered when he felt coldness seep into his veins. He watched the liquid in the syringe drain into his arm and cried. He was so cold, so tired, and by the time Yutenji pulled the used needle from Iruka's skin, the brunette was staring so blankly at the doorway.

Yutenji smiled and settled his hand on Iruka's chest, slowly drawing it down as he settled between Ruka's legs, pulling away her kimono to inspect the goods. It would take a few days before she was addicted enough to need to do anything asked of her before she received her medication, but he could make a few estimates in her price right now. He blinked, a smile drawing across his face as he moved to stand, drawing the limp girl up into his arms to carry her to a different room.

She would fetch him a high price indeed.

There was a Mizuage to plan.


	11. Chapter 11

XI

Akiko stood waiting for Shigure to appear. She'd henged herself to look exactly like Iruka, and Kakashi lurked not too far away, just in case. She hoped Shigure would appear. They didn't have much time.

"Ruka-chan,"

Akiko turned around, much too quickly than she would've liked, and stared at Shigure. He was staring at her, eyes revealing nothing, but the odd little quirk to his mouth made her worry. Her fears were justified when his eyes flicked to where Kakashi was hiding, a wry grin appearing on his face.

"Or should I say Konoha nin? What, your Hokage didn't trust Iruka to get this job done?"

Kakashi growled, appearing in a flash to grab onto Shigure's collar, jerking up. At the last second he realized he'd walked into that trap and set the boy down, sighing. Shigure shook his head and smoothed out his shirt. Akiko whimpered at the venomous look Kakashi was giving the younger man and released her henge. Shigure didn't seem fazed in the slightest, as though he'd expected such a thing. Kakashi immediately bristled at that lack of reaction and stared at Shigure, hand twitching to remove the patch covering his Sharingan. Shigure's gaze flicked to his face, but he showed no interest in initiating combat; rather he seemed a little concerned, the first bit of emotion Akiko had seen him make.

"What happened to Iruka?"

"He's compromised."

"What?" Shigure's eyes narrowed at Kakashi and he stepped forward. Instinctively, Kakashi lashed out, only to have his wrist caught and twisted. The strength behind the grip was substantial, but Kakashi didn't flinch. He met Shigure's gaze and the two stared at each other for a long while before Shigure let him go.

"What did you do?" Shigure asked.

Kakashi rubbed his wrist idly and stared at the younger man. "I went into the back rooms. He followed me and we got caught."

"Why did you do that?"

"Iruka can't handle this by himself! He's just a chuunin, a school teacher!" Kakashi growled. Shigure didn't seem fazed.

"So?" Shigure asked. "There's not much of a difference between a chuunin and a jounin save for skills and rank. This mission is of a high importance and needs a gentle touch. Iruka was chosen for that reason. He may be a schoolteacher, but it's that exact expertise that made him the right person for this job."

"You don't understand. Iruka can't do this."

"Correction. You don't want him to do this."

"You don't get it!" Kakashi snarled. "Iruka needs to be where-"

"Where you can protect him," Shigure sighed. "I understand quite well."

"How? You're no ninja."

Shigure tilted his head, smiling a bit. "Just because I don't belong to one of the great villages or the known villages, doesn't mean I'm not a ninja. I would be of jounin rank, my friend."

Kakashi stared at the other before he shook his head. "You're no jounin."

"I saw through your nin dog's henge. I helped Iruka perfect that jutsu he wore. I and my partner helped him obtain the job at the Abeko."

Kakashi's expression told him that he understood where Shigure was coming from. Being a jounin wasn't based on age or experience though experience helped. Being a jounin was based on skill level and ability, and if Shigure could do was he said he could do, then there was no arguing there.

"We have to help Iruka," Kakashi said a moment later. Shigure nodded and gestured for Kakashi to follow him. Kakashi listened to Shigure as they walked quickly through the streets. He was to pose as a noble come from some far away country, looking for an escort. Kakashi blinked and blithely reminded Shigure he didn't need an escort. Shigure shook his head, sighed and paused to explain. An escort was a woman – or man – that wandered around with her buyer and essentially was his pleasure slave. A fancy way of saying prostitute. So Kakashi would buy Ruka with leaves henged into coins, with one real coin among them, sealed to keep the jutsu active until Iruka's safety – and the safety of Iruka's target – was guaranteed. Shigure ducked into an open warehouse and a young woman who looked very much like Shigure in physical appearance greeted the pair. Mayuri, as Shigure introduced her to Kakashi, his partner. Mayuri had procured for them various stately robes that looked foreign and regal. When Kakashi looked in the mirror Mayuri presented him with, he could hardly recognize himself.

His wild silver hair had been tamed down into a tail, his old eye patch replaced with a new silk one. Mayuri had streaked Kakashi's hair with black ink to give him the look of someone years older than himself. He couldn't use any jutsu to conceal his identity because it would disrupt the henge on the false money. When Mayuri stepped away to pick up the robes he would wear, he looked across to Shigure. He almost couldn't recognize the boy. He wore a beautiful sanguine kimono, dainty geta sandals and tabi; his hair styled to look like that of a geisha's. Kakashi had to look very closely to see that it was a wig. Shigure's face was painted tastefully, and he carried a parasol over his shoulder. Kakashi was only vaguely aware of Mayuri helping him out of his thug-like clothes and into the statelier garb.

"You know your story?" Shigure asked Kakashi softly as they followed Mayuri through the back streets toward the Abeko. Kakashi nodded.

"My name is Ayaname Ichigo. I hail from the Land of Grass and I'm looking for an escort, a playmate." Kakashi recited in a whisper. Shigure nodded and moved ahead to speak to Mayuri. A nod and the young woman was just gone, leaving Kakashi and Shigure alone to carry out this farce. One last check to make sure he had all he needed and Kakashi boldly strode across the street to the Abeko, Shigure not too far behind. The place was packed when they entered but the hostess managed to find them a place to sit. Shigure dutifully played his part, giving cues to Kakashi as to when to turn his head, when to stare, when to yawn; it was an extravagant act. Kakashi watched as several men slowly vacated their tables, wandering toward the hidden door that led to the back rooms. Most of the men were gone when the man Iruka had identified as Yutenji approached Kakashi.

"Welcome to my establishment, stranger." Yutenji said cheerfully. "I can't help but notice your lovely companion."

Kakashi managed to smile at the bastard. "Thank you. She was incredibly difficult to come by. Excellent breeding, excellent skills."

Yutenji's eyes darkened as a predatory smile spread over his face. Kakashi merely smiled back, playing the game. This bastard knew where Iruka was and once he found out, he'd tear that smile right off his face. Kakashi felt Shigure kick at him and covered his murderous grin by sipping from his teacup.

"I'd be honoured," Yutenji began, "if I might talk to her for a few hours."

"Actually, she is the reason I'm here." Kakashi replied. "You see, I'm looking for a playmate for my dear Sakuya. She's been begging for one for a while and I figure why not?"

"Two are better than one," Yutenji agreed too quickly for Kakashi's liking. A long pause followed, the men studying each other as Shigure poured Kakashi another cup of tea. Kakashi finally procured a gold coin, sliding it across the table to watch it get palmed by the master of the house.

"You've come to the right place, then," Yutenji said. "In fact, there is a very special even taking place in a few hours time. Perhaps you'd be interested, mister…?"

Kakashi smiled. "Ayaname Ichigo, or Lord Ichigo if you'd prefer."

"Of course, Ichigo-sama," Yutenji said, eyes flashing with greed at the mention of 'Lord'. "Please follow me, and do bring your lovely friend."

With that, Yutenji strode away, and Kakashi and Shigure followed. They were one step closer to saving Iruka and the girl he'd been after. Kakashi let out a long sigh, pushing away all doubt. He'd failed everyone else he had cared for. He wasn't about to fail Iruka again.


	12. Chapter 12

XII

Yutenji peeked into the waiting room and found most of the men lounging on the pillows, while a few played with the girls Yutenji had provided as entertainment. Ichigo-sama, he noticed, reclined easily with his concubine in his lap, safe and secure against the advances of the men, of the eventual competition. Grinning in glory he turned away and smoothed the curtain in place, walking slowly over to where Ruka sat, hands nicely folded in her lap, her hair pinned with decorated needles, her face beautifully painted, and her eyes wonderfully blank. She would do anything asked of her, or her buyer. Of course, he'd need to instruct her buyer how to apply Ruka's medicine, but that wouldn't be too hard. One night of pleasure for the lucky man and Ruka would be returned. Unless, of course, he managed to cut a good deal with Ichigo-sama. If Ichigo-sama was the highest bidder tonight, he'd have no problem in offering a deal that would suit them both. Of course, there were better girls than Ruka to be playmates, but she'd given him too much trouble. The sooner he got rid of her, the sooner he'd be able to sell that bitch that was Haomaru's daughter. He knelt in front of Ruka and smoothed the folds of her pristine white kimono that would soon be sullied by red.

"Do you remember what I told you, Ruka?"

Ruka's eyes lifted to Yutenji's face. "Obey." She mumbled.

"Good girl. Obey, and you won't get hurt. Now, stand up, follow me." Yutenji rose, walking to the curtain and peeking out, grinning. "The bidding is about to begin."

He waved his hand and one of his bodyguards came forward to hold Ruka back while he stepped out on stage, one of his girls running to clap two wood blocks together, gaining everyone's attention. He smiled out at those gathered, looking pointedly toward Ichigo-sama, who wore a very bored expression as he toyed with his concubine's hair.

"My friends," Yutenji called to the crowd, "You've gathered here tonight to witness a historic even, one never before heard of at Abeko. A Mizuage."

Hushed gasps and whoops came from the men, all talking amongst themselves. So pleased, Yutenji was, that he never noticed Ichigo-sama lean forward to whisper against his woman's ear.

"Mizuage?" Kakashi asked.

"The taking away of a girl's virginity. Generally only geisha do such a thing. This girl must be important," Shigure replied.

Again the two wood blocks clapped at Yutenji pulled back the curtain to reveal a very pretty girl, eyes downcast in submission. He held out his hand and she took it, allowing herself to be led forward so the spectators could get a good look at her. Both Kakashi and Shigure tensed, their faces betraying nothing, not even when Yutenji began to describe the girl. Kakashi longed to jump up and ram a kunai in the bastard's throat, but he held back, for Iruka's sake and for the sake of the girl they still had yet to save.

"Her name is Ruka, the prettiest flower I have. The bidding for this beauty's Mizuage will begin at one hundred thousand."

Hands shot up, but Kakashi remained still. The bidding went higher as Yutenji quietly ordered Ruka to dance, and eventually the men began to drop out of the race, one by one. The current price for Ruka was one million. It was only Kakashi and a grizzled old man who had already tasted his fair share of woman flesh earlier that evening. Back and forth they went, higher and higher, until Kakashi called out a bid not even the old man could match.

Three hours later, Kakashi was handing Yutenji several bundles of money, all henged leaves except for two or three of the bills and was given Ruka. Shigure followed Kakashi and Yutenji to the room in which the Mizuage would take place and studied Iruka as the men talked. It was his eyes that caused a shiver of fear to crawl up Shigure's spine. He'd seen eyes like those before, on the girls Mayuri had rescued earlier from this place. Gingerly, fearing what he would see, he lifted Ruka's kimono sleeve. Healing puncture wounds greeted him, some healed to the point of fading scars. The other girls had had the same marks and now Shigure knew what they'd been injected with. He had to get back to Mayuri, to see if she'd gotten an antidote synthesized. Iruka was going to need it.

"Sakuya, attend me, please," Kakashi called and Shigure hurried over, smiling shyly at the bastard who had hurt Iruka.

"Yes, my lord?" Shigure asked, smiling so very sweetly.

"We're going inside, please bring Ruka."

"Yes, my lord."

Shigure took a few small steps back toward Ruka and took hold of her sleeve, guiding her into the room, closely followed by Kakashi. With Yutenji out of earshot, Shigure jumped on the chance to tell Kakashi his newest predicament.

Needless to say, Kakashi was not pleased. He could feel Yutenji's eyes on him even though the man was nowhere in the room. Shigure, before he had left, confirmed that the man was watching. He'd also informed Kakashi Iruka was drugged, a highly addictive drug that made him obey without fail, that locked away everything that was Iruka, leaving only the body. In essence, Kakashi was going to rape Iruka. He had to, Shigure told him; he would be watched for sure, an investor's curiosity. Shigure would go back to Mayuri for the antidote so Kakashi had to orchestrate Iruka's removal from the Abeko.

After he violated him, of course.

It would be easy. He could even use a jutsu to make it look like he was having sex with Ruka. Surely the money was tucked somewhere safe by now. But then he remembered Iruka's charm bag that held the Oiroke in place. Surely any jutsu he cast would cancel out that effect and leave them both vulnerable. So Kakashi was, essentially, stuck. He slowly began to open Iruka's kimono as he lay beneath him so serenely, drawing everything out. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, his more perverted self was enjoying this, because he'd never get an opportunity like this – he was sure Iruka didn't like him that way but it was okay because they were friends. Kakashi – the real Kakashi – was fighting down the butterflies – or nausea – as he revealed Iruka's flesh to all those watching. He knew the breasts were fake, merely illusions, but he cupped his hand around the right one anyway, partly amused as his fingers cupped the flesh. It felt solid enough. Suddenly he was struck by a horrible thought upon fondling those breasts; what if, because of the charm, everything about Iruka – Ruka – was real? If this really was a female Iruka then he could get her pregnant. Even pre-ejaculation could get a woman pregnant, he knew, so pulling out before he came wasn't an option.

And he hadn't been given any condoms.

Should he take the risk? Suddenly, Kakashi felt very vulnerable, but he didn't have any other choice. He had to do this and if there were any consequences, he'd deal with them when they happened. He took a deep breath as he finished undressing Iruka, tugging off his own clothes. He could do this so many ways, ways that, when Iruka got better, he wouldn't remember. But he couldn't, not to Iruka. Iruka was precious to him and this act was one he wanted to do with Iruka. With that thought in mind he spread Iruka's legs and took a moment to tease the folds of flesh that he knew shouldn't be there. He was stalling, fighting the inevitable, so he took a breath, positioned his erection against those folds and pushed in.

Iruka tensed beneath him, his – her – body fighting the invasion before it got used to the pressure and the weight of being filled. Then it tensed again, as Kakashi began to move, pushing against Iruka's false womb; the henge couldn't extend to the inside of the body. Right?

Kakashi's panting wasn't all feigned. There wasn't anything he could do about his erection – Iruka spread out like that, even as a woman, was erotic – so all he could do was hold back and pray. Iruka wasn't responding to any stimulation, which was all right because during the Mizuage, the girl wasn't –supposed– to show emotion. Still, his condition was drug induced, and once Iruka and the other girl were free, Kakashi was going to have a nice long chat with Yutenji. Iruka constricted suddenly around him and Kakashi couldn't hold it back. His groan wasn't one of pleasure as he pulled out and watched his seed slowly drop from Iruka. He closed his eye and prayed to all the gods he knew not to let Iruka get pregnant. The rape would be bad enough.  
When he pulled on Iruka's clothes and his own, he heard a door slide open. Slowly, acting sated, he watched Yutenji wander in with a smile plastered to his face. Kakashi wanted to rip it off. Instead, he grinned in return and settled back on the pillows, looking on as Yutenji hauled Iruka to his feet.

"Satisfied?" Yutenji asked, eyes sparking with something Kakashi didn't like.

"Very much," Kakashi replied. "Let's work out a deal, shall we? How much for her permanently?"

Yutenji's smile grew to a predatory grin. Kakashi smiled innocently, head tilting.

"I'll start," Kakashi began, "with one hundred thousand."


	13. Chapter 13

XIII

Iruka woke with a sharp pain at the base of his skull. He curled up instinctively to try and lessen it, but it didn't help. He cracked open his eyes and sat up straight when he didn't recognize his surroundings. This wasn't the Abeko, no was it his – Ruka's – apartment. Sitting up proved to be a bad idea as the pain just seemed to increase. So he lay back down on the soft pallet that served for his bed and tried to remember what had happened. He remembered Yutenji, remembered fighting him and then… nothing. Everything from that moment until now was one huge blank. Panicking would do him no good, so he closed his eyes and relaxed, stretching out his senses. He twitched as he heard a door slide open and soft footsteps against hardwood, slowly approaching him. He wanted to open his eyes, to see who was above him, but instinct kept him still. A gentle, cool hand brushed across his forehead, a man letting out a sigh.

"Iruka,"

Iruka slowly cracked his eyes open then to covertly watch Kakashi. The man seemed troubled, his Sharingan uncovered as was his face, meaning he trusted whomever he was with. And as Iruka was feigning to be unconscious, Kakashi probably felt very safe. Iruka took a moment to study Kakashi's face while it was devoid of mask and hitai-ate – or patch – though Kakashi work the black spandex mask low around his neck, ready to be pulled up at the slightest sign of waking. He didn't know why Kakashi hid his face; it was beautiful, much more than Iruka's own, or anyone's for that matter. Many faces were pretty, Iruka noted, musing, but Kakashi's was just beautiful.

"Iruka, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Kakashi was on his feet in a flash, mask pulled up to cover the lower half of his face. Iruka watched, partly amused because he'd stuck with keeping his face bare all those weeks before and now Iruka's gaze was drawn to those hidden lips, clearly remembering what he had done. He blushed and sat up, which brought the jounin back to his side. Kakashi forced himself to be gentle, knowing Iruka was still healing from the withdrawal. The silver-haired jounin had been at his wits end during the two weeks Iruka had been in Shigure and Mayuri's care. The night Kakashi brought Ruka home was the first night Shigure had administered the antidote. With the first dose things had gone horribly wrong and for two weeks Kakashi wasn't allowed to see Iruka. Shigure had explained to him that, though Iruka had been given the antidote, he still had to go through withdrawal. A very painful withdrawal. His body became so tense that it seemed as though the slightest touch would make his muscles snap in twain, and a fever ravaged his body so badly that Mayuri had had to set him up on an intravenous drip because proximity to any living being made him scream in pain. When the worst was over, when Iruka could be touched and fed by hand, Shigure had relented at let Kakashi take over.

But Kakashi didn't know where to begin. Oh, he knew plenty on how to care for an invalid; he'd helped Rin on more than on occasion during their childhood. He just didn't know what to tell Iruka about what had happened since the brunette's memory had stopped. He couldn't just say "Oh, let's see. I'm sorry for the fact you got addicted to some sort of mind and behaviour altering drug. And I'm sorry for – while you were tripping on this drug – raping you. Oh, and you might be pregnant with our child."

Yeah, that would go over well.

Just like telling him the mission hadn't been fulfilled, that the girl Yukari was still in the clutches of Yutenji. Kakashi figured his death wouldn't be very painful if he spoke the truth, but if he did die, at least he wouldn't have to live with Iruka hating him.

"Kakashi?" Iruka whispered, prompting.

"I'm sorry I fucked up your mission!" Kakashi blurted. Ooh, nice save, his mind supplied. Iruka blinked and sighed.

"It can still be salvaged, right? Yukari's still okay, right?"

"Yukari's fine. She's still…" Kakashi paused, searching for the right word, "untouched."

Iruka let out a breath of relief. "Thank god,"

Kakashi smiled nervously behind his mask. Tell him the truth! His subconscious was screaming. If you do you still might have a chance!

"How long was I asleep? I don't remember anything after we were separated," Iruka looked up at Kakashi, watching the red and blue orbs harden and the Sharingan focus on some sort of memory.

"A few weeks," Kakashi replied evasively. He moved from his spot on the floor toward the tray of food he'd brought with him, picking it up and bringing it over to Iruka.

"Eat," he said, "You have to get your strength back so we can finish the mission."

"My mission," Iruka corrected. Kakashi paused and finally nodded after a long moment of silence. Iruka watched him with narrowed eyes, studying the silver-haired jounin intently. There was something Kakashi wasn't telling him, something about the hole – more a gap, really – in his memory. He looked down at the food – fruits, vegetables, cooked meats – and chose a few pieces to chew on. Swallowed, chose a bite more, chewed and swallowed. Kakashi had pulled out Icha Icha, Iruka noted with annoyance, but he couldn't fault the man, not now. The little orange book of porn was like a defense mechanism, meaning he was nervous or scared or bored. This time, Iruka was betting on nervous. He swallowed a bit of chicken prematurely and choked, nausea sweeping over him. Kakashi was by his side immediately, holding onto him while he coughed up half-chewed chicken pieces and was grateful when Kakashi procured a pail for him to throw up in. With the fit over, Iruka let Kakashi get him up and walked him to the bathroom where he could wash his mouth out.

Just that bit of exercise tired him, and for a moment Iruka rubbed his stomach, not liking the way it felt so firm. He heard a whimper sound from Kakashi and turned to look at him, head tilting.

"Kakashi?"

The jounin refused to look at the brunette and the chuunin was no longer in the mood for games.

"Kakashi, tell me what's going on right now,"

A glance. All right, they were making progress. Iruka tried his best sensei glare and only got a glance and mumbles from the elder man. Iruka was slowly losing his patience, and came toward Kakashi, hands fisting in the man's shirt. As an afterthought, he hooked his fingers under Kakashi's muscles, doe eyes narrowed in a mix of annoyance, fear, and yes, just a bit of hatred.

"Hatake Kakashi, you will tell me what's going on right now or I will tear this mask off you and burn it!"

Iruka wasn't entirely sure if Kakashi and brought spares – he probably had, paranoid creature of habit he was – so the threat really shouldn't have worked. But Kakashi's hands shot up and grabbed Iruka's wrist, holding them tight.

"You might be pregnant," Kakashi said lowly. Iruka automatically deflated, surprised and confused. He released his hold on the jounin though Kakashi didn't quite relinquish his hold on Iruka. Instead the silver-haired man turned his attention on Iruka's knuckles and fingers, finding them immensely interesting.

"What?"

Kakashi swallowed. "Yutenji drugged you with the same drug he's using on Yukari. You did everything he said, no more than a doll. So I saved you…"

"Saved me how?" Iruka whispered, not really wanting to know now, not if Kakashi was becoming sullen at remembering for himself.

"He put you up for auction," Kakashi said, "a Mizuage auction. I won, but I had to… take you."

Iruka forgot how to breathe for a moment. Then he exploded, open palm smacking Kakashi's cheek, doe brown darkening to almost black with unshed tears.

"You –raped– me!?"

"I had no choice!" Kakashi yelled back. "I had to or I would've lost you!"

"Did it ever occur to you, just once, that maybe you're losing me because you can't keep well enough away!?"

"Don't take that tone with me, Iruka."

"Or what?" Iruka snapped. "You going to hit me? Rape me again?"

"I'll do something worse than that!" Kakashi growled, anger reaching a crescendo. He truly felt like he would strike Iruka! How dare he make this out to be Kakashi's fault? If he had just stayed in Konoha, like he was supposed to, none of this would've happened!

"Oh, I forgot! Hatake Kakashi is a jounin! He can do whatever he pleases without regard for anyone else!"

"Don't tempt me, Iruka," Kakashi growled, Sharingan whirling.

"Tempt you," Iruka spat. "I thought we were friends. Friends trust each other; friends don't go chasing each other around and putting each other in danger!"

"If you had just stayed in Konoha-!"

"Like what? A caged bird? Are you going to clip my wings, Kakashi, keep me from flying? And if I am pregnant with your child, are you going to clip his wings too!?"

Kakashi's fist went up; Iruka fought down the flinch and glared hate at the jounin.

"Get out, Hatake!" Iruka cried, "Get the hell out! I never want to see you again! I hate you!"

Kakashi was gone before Iruka had even finished the last syllable of 'you', burning ozone and smoke the only telling signs he had been there at all.

Iruka fell to his knees and cried.


	14. Chapter 14

XIV

Shigure stared at the broken man he knew to be Hatake Kakashi. He sat on the roof of the inn that the pair from Konoha were staying in, arms wrapped around his knees, staring off into space. Shigure knew that look, knew it well because his father had oft worn the same expression after Shigure's mother had died. It was the look of rejection, of a great soul would that wouldn't soon heal. He and Mayuri had come as quickly as they could when the alarms went off, signaling chakra use. Certainly, they had thought the worst, but to learn that Kakashi and Iruka had had a fight – now that was a bit disconcerting. He waited until Kakashi noticed him to approach and Shigure sat down beside the older man, staring off into the distant part of Iiga.

"What happened?"

Kakashi's lips thinned. "We had a fight."

"I can see that," Shigure replied a bit dryly. "How did this fight happen?"

"I told him he might be pregnant."

"I see." Shigure fell silent, humming quietly. "You told him what happened from a jounin's perspective instead of a man's."

"Is there a difference?" Kakashi asked. A pause, then, "He said he hated me."

"My father thought there was a difference. My mother was mortally wounded during a job. She told my father what had happened as a shinobi. They fought until she felt death creeping upon her and then she told him as a woman, as a wife who loved her husband. His last words to her were 'I love you'." Shigure said softly. "This is why we're also human besides killers, Kakashi-san, why jounin are given such respect. Because as such we jounin are meant to kill, to protect and serve. We are left to pick up the pieces of our broken psyche, left to separate the human from the monster and that's why we need our precious people, why we need love.

"We're too dangerous to become cold, unfeeling machines. We need that humanity, those feelings of want and love, because without them, we're nothing. No one should hear the words 'I hate you'. Those words are meant to destroy and to kill. But I don't think Iruka hates you,"

Kakashi looked skeptical. "He said it,"

"He was upset. Wouldn't you be, if you found out you might be pregnant with man's child, when you're a man yourself? Or perhaps he was angry because you baby him."

"I do not."

"You came all the way from Konoha, unsummoned, to bring him back with or without his consent."

"He needs to be where I can protect him," Kakashi replied.

Shigure sighed heavily. "Listen to yourself. Does Iruka really need protecting?"

Kakashi glared at Shigure, but his heart knew the boy was right. He'd been pushing too hard, been ignoring Iruka's own feelings about this situation. This had been Iruka's chance to show his peers he was just as good as everyone else and Kakashi had gone and ruined it because of his stupid paranoia. He remained silent but Shigure new the answer anyway. The younger man got to his feet and stretched.

"Think about it Kakashi-san. Iruka is strong. If he wasn't, he would've been dead long before now, wouldn't he?"

"Then how do I fix it?"

"Apologize. The rest happens after that." Shigure replied with a smile before he disappeared into nothingness, not one hint of chakra or burning ozone betraying his movement. Kakashi sighed heavily and stared out at the setting sun. Apologize. It seemed so much easier said than done. Iruka could hold a grudge, Kakashi knew, so would he even listen?

Well try, his subconscious supplied. There was no harm in that. Kakashi teleported off the roof and into the hallway, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked toward the room Iruka had been placed in. He paused as the door opened and Mayuri slipped out, the girl smiling at him as she passed. So the two had gone to try to play peacemaker, huh? Well, Kakashi mused, it was now or never. He eased the door open and slipped inside, aware the lamps were throwing his shadow toward Iruka instead of away. The brunette sat on the couch, hands covering his face, shoulders shaking with sobs. Kakashi felt as though he were violating the moment of Iruka's solitude, but there would be no second chances if he left now.

Like a man this time, Kakashi thought, not a jounin. Slowly he approached Iruka, sitting beside him and putting an arm around the brunette's shoulders. Iruka tensed, knowing exactly who it was who was trying to comfort him. Slowly, he raised his head, looking at Kakashi out of the corner of his eye. The silver haired man took a deep breath and pulled his mask down, revealing his face to Iruka. The action struck the brunette profoundly, and tears jumped to his eyes again.

"I'm sorry, Iruka," Kakashi said after a long while. "I'm sorry for treating you like a child. I just… it's hard to explain. I want to be near you, all the time, I want to protect you, but it seems I can't even protect you from myself. I feel whole when I'm with you, happy. I don't want to watch you get hurt or die and… and I guess what I'm trying to say is… is that I love you."

Iruka was silent, staring at him openly, tears making their slow journey down his face. Kakashi turned him, wiping those tears away.

"And," Kakashi continued, "and if you still want to hate me, I'll be okay with it, and if or when our baby is born I'll be right there to help. I promise okay?"

"Kakashi," Iruka whispered, "You're babbling… and I'm not pregnant. Mayuri checked for me." He offered the jounin a recently bandaged finger. "The chakra blood test was negative."

Kakashi let out a sigh of relief. He supposed that shouldn't be the right sound – not at this point – but he couldn't help it. Children at this point in his life could be a detriment to both him and Iruka, and – truth be told – he didn't know the first thing about caring for a baby. Genin were different. They, at least, didn't cry when they had to go to the bathroom or when they were hungry. Iruka looked away from him and for a moment Kakashi wondered if he was going to cry again. Iruka had a contemplative look on his face, staring at the wall opposite where they were sitting, hands folded in his lap. Kakashi shifted, pulling Iruka closer as he pushed closer to the chuunin. He settled his head against Iruka's cheek. Iruka pushed against him, not to force Kakashi away, but to get even closer, Kakashi realized. He was vulnerable, his jounin paranoia was saying. He was left in the open, unarmed and now, he had his lover—woah. Kakashi's mind stuttered to a halt.

"Lover?" Kakashi voiced after a long moment. Iruka glanced at him and then away, blushing.

"If you'd like,"

Kakashi felt a grin bloom on his face. Lover. That word implied so many things; Iruka was his and only his, Iruka was claimed and no one else could have him. They could live together, eat together, maybe even train together. Of course, he'd go easy on Iruka because he wasn't as skilled as Kakashi was. Well, he'd go easy at first because he knew Iruka was terribly stubborn and until he succeeded or passed out, Iruka would keep going until he succeeded.

"Lover," Kakashi said again, tilting Iruka's head back to steal a kiss. "My beautiful Iruka,"

"I'm not beautiful," Iruka replied after the kiss broke, cheeks flushing red and scar going pale. Kakashi chuckled.

"Yes you are," Kakashi purred. He pushed Iruka down onto the couch and hovered over him, teasing his neck with kisses. "Let me show you just how beautiful you are."

Iruka's face became beet red as Kakashi leaned down to steal kiss after kiss, one hand support him by Iruka's head while the other delved into Iruka's kimono, touching soft flesh, married by years of scarring. Experience, Kakashi corrected himself. Scars were a ninja's experience, no matter what rank they were. Iruka arched against Kakashi's mouth, gasping when the jounin bit his lower lip and made an annoyed noise when Kakashi's tongue delved inside to taste that warm cavern. Kakashi's thumb and index finger silenced any protest Iruka might have given when they encircled a nipple and teased it to a tight bud. Iruka made a mewing noise at that, another as Kakashi's teeth found his pulse.

"No marks!" Iruka managed to gasp out and Kakashi only chuckled.

"Who's here that's going to see, Ruka?" Kakashi replied, using the name of Iruka's other persona. The chuunin stiffened beneath him and glared, but Kakashi knew how to handle just a gaze. He tweaked the nipple he'd been teasing and watched Iruka's eyes roll back into his head with pleasure.

Kakashi and Iruka came to a compromise a moment later, stating that bruising was okay so long as the marks were not visible. Kakashi understood the practicality as bruises could hinder movement or give away important information, such as the fact there was a lover – however fickle the relationship was – involved. So Kakashi kept his bruising centered on Iruka's chest and stomach, while Iruka chose to bit at his shoulders, leaving him a bit sore, but unmarked. Kakashi pulled at the obi Iruka wore around his waist until it came free, and his hand slid down the brunette's chest to open the kimono. The sight of Iruka – naked, hair unbound and flowing freely to brush his shoulders – was about the sexiest thing Kakashi had ever seen. Only pale scars broke tanned flesh, and even then there weren't too many on his front side. Kakashi kissed and suckled each one anyway, lavishing his lover – God! He loved that word! – with attention. In return, Iruka petted his hair, his face, kissing everything and anything he could reach, making adorable sounds Kakashi promised he would not call mewling no matter how much like mewling it sounded. At least out loud.

Kakashi shifted, grabbing Iruka up against him as he sat back on the couch, forcing Iruka's legs around his waist before he forced himself to stand, carrying Iruka to the bedroom and the bed. Iruka clung to him panting as Kakashi moved his hips into Iruka's with each step, tossing his chuunin onto the bed and climbing over top him just to pin him down. The silver-haired man drank in the sight of his beautiful brunette, studying and imagining. Suddenly, he found himself on his back with Iruka over top him, working furiously to get Kakashi naked. After fighting back his instinct to snap Iruka's neck – because Iruka was only riled, he told himself, not because Iruka wanted to hurt him – Kakashi helped him little, rather enjoying Iruka's franticness in trying to get to the skin beneath the clothes. God, this was better than the porn in Icha Icha. No, Kakashi thought as he gasped when Iruka's tongue flicked out against his navel, better than every single Icha Icha in existence.

In the end, he helped Iruka with his pants, and soon they were pressed against one another, stroking and petting and kissing. Kakashi's cock was straining for attention by this point, and Iruka's was decidedly begging for it too. Monkey see, monkey do, Kakashi decided and he wrapped his hand around Iruka's length, slowly stroking as he watched Iruka shudder and mewl.  
"C'mon, 'Ruka." Kakashi prodded, taking his suddenly shy chuunin's hand in his free one, wrapping that soft hand – a teacher's hand, with calluses from pencils and pens and very few kunai – around his straining erection. Slowly, Iruka began to imitate Kakashi's movements and moaned deliciously when Kakashi's thumb ghosted over the head of his penis. Kakashi in turn shuddered when Iruka did the same thing and picked up his pace a bit, pulling Iruka closer to him and whispering all sorts of love and promises to him. Iruka only mewed in reply and his free hand sought Kakashi's clutching so tight Kakashi thought he'd lose feeling.

But it was his favourite response, because he could feel the emotions coursing through Iruka by his grip and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt how Iruka felt about him. He hadn't noticed before because he'd been perfecting his selfish jerk jounin persona, but this time he saw and swore to protect Iruka – even from himself. At the present moment, though, Iruka was his victim and he was going to take it as far as he could. He rolled them so he was over Iruka, who was on his back, which left Kakashi between Iruka's legs. His chuunin was watching him, chest rising and falling in rapid succession, so Kakashi leaned down and placed chaste kisses on Iruka's sternum as his fingers gripped his hips and pulled him up so Iruka's weight was mostly on his back and shoulders when his knees were hooked over Kakashi's shoulders.

Kakashi dipped his head down, determined to make Iruka enjoy this penetration, to make the ghost of Iruka's – Ruka's – rape just a bad memory to be forgotten. Not that Iruka remembered anyway, but if he thought about it, this would give him something to compare his "memory" to. Kakashi lapped at Iruka's entrance, watching his chuunin arch and writhe beneath him at the feel of Kakashi's tongue against his skin. Just when Iruka thought Kakashi was done, when he thought Kakashi would –just get on with it!– he felt himself breached by something warm, wet, and wriggling. Kakashi had wormed his tongue inside of him, tasting his insides. That was Kakashi's –tongue–. Iruka just about fainted from that fact alone. Kakashi made an attempt to thrust his tongue into Iruka but decided against it, instead teasing his chuunin with the muscle before he pulled it out, replacing it with two of his fingers. Iruka about arched off the bed, crying out for him.

"That's it Iruka," Kakashi purred. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Y-yeah," Iruka managed to choke out between thrusts, fingers digging into the bed sheets. Kakashi smiled.

"Makes you forget, doesn't it?"

Iruka blinked at him confusedly for a few moments before his eyes shot wide and he sat upright. His forehead cracked into Kakashi's nose and the jounin quickly pulled back, cursing.

"I'm sorry!" Iruka cried. Kakashi waved his free hand, before he pulled his fingers from Iruka's body to touch his nose.

"It's not broken – hey! Wait! Where are you going?"

Kakashi surged up off the couch as Iruka rolled off it, hurrying to the closet to pull out clothes.

"Yukari," Iruka said, "she's still being held by Yutenji."

Kakashi groaned, putting his hands up at Iruka's glare. "All right. We'll finish the mission."

"Of course we have to finish the mission!" Iruka growled. Instantly, Kakashi was taking hold of him, pressing him against the wall, mouth at his pulse.

"I meant we'll finish it after we have sex, Iruka," Kakashi purred.

"Oh," Iruka shook himself and pushed the silver-haired man away from him. "Stop it. I promise, once we get back to Konoha, I'll do whatever you want, but until then finish this mission without sex."

"No sex?"

"No sex."

Kakashi whimpered. Too bad for him Iruka was immune to the puppy-dog eyes. Such immunity could only be built up with years of teaching pre-genin brats, Kakashi thought, fighting not to pout. Pouting didn't work either.

"Mission," Iruka said with a certain finality. "Then I'll make Icha Icha look like a fan's attempt at a bad fan fiction."

Kakashi thought he might have an orgasm right there and then. As he watched Iruka dress in a pretty amethyst kimono, he knew for a fact he wanted to stay with this man forever.

And it wasn't just because of that Icha Icha promise.


	15. Chapter 15

XV

Kakashi tugged at the eye patch over his Sharingan and lifted it just slightly to make sure he could keep the sight of Iruka dolled up like a geisha forever. Made him wish he had a camera. Mayuri and Shigure stood beside Iruka, dressing him properly for an escort, even down to the decorative – but oh so real – senbon in his hair. The four had gone over a plan that seemed simple enough at the beginning. Kakashi, Mayuri, and Iruka would enter the Abeko under the guise of Lord Ichigo, Ruka, and Sakuya and get the attention of Yutenji. While he was distracted, Shigure would slip into the back and locate Yukari, administer the first dose of the antidote. Once he got out, he would enter as a breathless courier, stating the ferry – which meant they had to time this right – was leaving for the mainland. Then that night, Kakashi and Iruka could sneak into the Abeko and get Yukari out to Shigure and Mayuri who would be waiting to take her back to Haomaru's complex and after a brief stay, they would take Yukari and her father out Iiga into the countryside where they would be safe.

Except they all knew that plans didn't always go as they were expected to go and so contingencies were prepared. Kakashi lowered the eye patch and watched Mayuri step away from Iruka, then Shigure, and then Kakashi approached Iruka, smiling. Iruka looked up at him with a dead-eyed stare a long while before smiling.

"Have to still be under the influence, you know," Iruka said. Kakashi nodded and leaned to give Iruka a kiss on his rouged cheek.

"Act well,"

"Promise,"

"Are you two ready?" Shigure asked. Kakashi turned to face the two other shinobi – he still couldn't believe they –were– shinobi – and nodded.

"The ferry leaves at four." Mayuri said. "If Shigure does not come, we must leave exactly at that time."

"We know what to do," Shigure said, looking annoyed, Kakashi noticed. Mayuri scowled at her partner for a moment before she moved to lead the way from the safe house to the Abeko. The crowd seemed to part for Kakashi and his two 'concubines', mostly then men pausing to admire his escorts. And they were beautiful, for Mayuri had done her magic well. If Kakashi hadn't have been there witnessing their transformation, he never would've been able to tell the difference, just like before when Iruka had been Ruka. The silver-haired man pushed open the Abeko's door and let the ladies in first before following, putting his arms around their waists as he approached the hostess' desk.

Unfortunately, they had to wait for a table. Kakashi cursed under his breath and got a sharp glare from Iruka. Mayuri shifted closer to Kakashi as another patron entered the already crowded waiting room, passing her, pausing to look around, and turning around and leaving. Mayuri tugged on Kakashi's sleeve.

"Yukari's not here." Mayuri whispered. "Shigure's looked everywhere, but he can't find her."

"She's been sold?" Iruka asked in a small voice. Mayuri nodded.

"Shigure's trying to hunt down any information. Apparently, Yutenji's not here either."

Great. Kakashi thought as he moved to strike their names from the waiting list, claiming he was tired of waiting around. They left the Abeko and hurriedly shed their finery as they moved back to the safe house, Kakashi and Iruka pulling on their vests and hitai-ates as Mayuri gathered their weapons.

"We go to meet Shigure."

The three left, nothing more than shadows to the populace of Iiga, hurrying to Shigure's position. Mayuri seemed to know exactly where she was going, so neither Konoha nin questioned her when they left Iiga behind and hurried into the countryside. She leapt into the threes and paused on a branch, Kakashi and Iruka alighting beside her. A moment later, Shigure appeared, seemingly out of breath.

"Yutenji left with her early this morning," Shigure said. "She's been purchased by the son of a lesser daimyo far from this country. They're about a day's run northeast following this road, and they're traveling with an armed contingent of mercenaries."

"Nothing we can't handle then," Kakashi replied. Shigure shook his head.

"A few are nukenin." The young man answered. "From our village."

"Then we were right," Mayuri said. Shigure nodded, lips in a thin line.

"All right, time out." Kakashi said. "What the hell is going on?"

"That rival syndicate is led by a man named Yutenji," Mayuri began, "but Yutenji is his family name. His first name is Jyuichi and he's from our home village."

"We weren't hired by Haomaru; we were sent by our matriarch find Jyuichi and destroy him." Shigure continued. "We've had our suspicions, so that's why we talked Haomaru into hiring a Konoha nin. Jyuichi would've recognized us, no matter what disguise we wore."

"So you used us," Iruka reasoned.

"Unfortunately, yes. With good intentions. We never meant for you to be injured."

"Well," Kakashi sighed, "What's happened has happened. Let's go kill that bastard and get the girl back."

Shigure and Mayuri glanced at each other before looking back at the two Konoha nin.

"You're awfully nonchalant about this," Mayuri said with suspicion.

"We've been hired to do a job," Iruka said. "We'll get it done any way we can." Besides, the chuunin added silently, fighting not to blush, I've already bribed Kakashi with the promise of sex.

After a long pause, Shigure said, "All right then." He let out a sigh. "Follow me."

Four shadows bounded through the branches of the trees, hurrying to catch up to the caravan carrying their quarry.

Yutenji relaxed in the back of the carriage, staring at Yukari. The bitch was completely under his control and soon, she would be too far out of reach for her father to get back. Without causing a war, of course. In the event of that, Yutenji would whisper into the right ear the location of a secret shinobi village and a mass slaughter would occur. A simple lie could become a truth so quickly and it would be beautiful. The cart suddenly lurched to a stop, the horses whickering in annoyance before voices started filtering in. The Abeko owner shifted in his seat and opened the door, looking out at what was causing the delay. Lips curled into a frown at the sight of a farmer's cart overturned in the middle of the road, the old man and his wife bowing apologetically to the mercenaries that led the caravan. Heaving a great sigh, Yutenji stepped from the carriage and walked over to the panicking couple, offering soothing words.

"Now, now. There's no need to get angry. It's just an accident. It'll get cleaned up right away won't it?" Yutenji asked of the farmer.

"Oh, yes, milord." The silver-haired farmer replied. "Just give us a few moments. You know how age wears down the bones."

Yutenji scoffed. "Of course."

He turned to his bodyguard and growled. "What are you waiting for? Help them!"

He stalked back to the carriage and stepped inside, settling down beside Yukari. He might as well have a little fun with her before she was gone for good. Yutenji pulled back Yukari's hair and made to bite her neck when she exploded into a small dog that snapped at his face before fleeing.

He was immediately out of the cart, screaming for his guards, only to find them lying in pools of their own blood. A kunai was instantly in Yutenji's hand and thrown straight up, narrowly missing Mayuri as she descended. She switched direction the moment she hit the carriage roof and took off into the forest above the road, knowing Yutenji was right behind her. She had no intention of fighting him and by now, he'd probably figured out that the farmer and his wife had been a ruse. All she had to do was lead him into a battlefield of her allies' choosing and double back to catch up with Iruka and Yukari. Then she and Iruka would take Yukari back to her father where Kakashi and Shigure would meet them once they'd finished off Yutenji Jyuichi. After that, she and Shigure would tie up a few loose ends and Kakashi and Iruka would be able to go home to Konoha, continuing on with their lives. Her hand caught a branch and she used her momentum to swing her around the trunk, moving silently and quickly along the branches hidden by leaves. She thought she felt Yutenji pass her by, continuing the pursuit and stilled. Thinking and knowing were two different things, and right now she couldn't afford 'thinking'. She hesitated a moment too long; Yutenji's hand caught her ankle and pulsed her from her perch, throwing her down to the forest floor some fifty feet below.

By some miracle, Mayuri flashed through seals one handed as her other hand dug a kunai into the bark of the tree beside her, slowing her descent somewhat. Not enough, not enough, not enough for her to finish the seal and transport away. She hit the ground hard, chakra releasing in a great wave, burning grasses and tree roots – and alerting every shinobi in the vicinity she was in danger. Yutenji landed beside her and tangled his fingers in her hair to haul her to her feet.

"Little bitch," Yutenji snarled as he threw Mayuri against a scorched tree, "I should've killed you back in Teikiatsugakure."

"You should've," Mayuri spat back, "then maybe you would've had a peaceful death."

Yutenji scoffed and struck her hard on her joint where the thumb meets the wrist, forcing her to drop her kunai and leaving her helpless when he broke her other wrist. Mayuri writhed against him, forcing the pain into her chakra to have it flare again. It did nothing but earn her a quick jab to her trachea.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you," Yutenji hissed into Mayuri's ear, "but not yet. I want to see the look on Shigure's face when I take you from him too."

Mayuri tried to scream as Yutenji took his time snapping her bones so she couldn't run or fight back, but she had no breath with which to scream nor could she even make a sound louder than a wheeze. When he was done, finally, blissfully done, Mayuri was nothing more than a broken, conscious doll.


	16. Chapter 16

XVI

Shigure crouched beside Kakashi, eyes intent on the direction Mayuri would be coming from. She was late, but Shigure wasn't worried. His cousin was strong and resilient, and if she just kept moving, she'd be fine. A shiver ran down his spine and he knew something had gone wrong, especially when Kakashi began to tense beside him. The jounin had uncovered the Sharingan, deciding to go in at full strength so there was no doubt at who would be the victor. Iruka was safely away now with Yukari who'd begun to wake up thanks to the antidote. The pair would, hopefully, meet up with Mayuri at the designated spot. If she didn't show, Iruka was to continue back to Iiga and to Haomaru's mansion. For no reason, even if he heard the sounds of death, was he to return.

Kakashi had drilled that into his head.

The leaves rustled and out stepped Mayuri, bloody and bruised but whole and healthy. Shigure about moved out to meet her, but found his path blocked by Kakashi's hand. The jounin said nothing and for a moment resentment bubbled up in Shigure's heart, so he turned his eyes back to his cousin and felt his blood run cold. Her gait was uneven, her limbs flopping as though she was nothing but a puppet. But her eyes were gleaming with life and with pain and Shigure couldn't let her suffer like that.  
He felt Kakashi's hand snag the back of his flak vest but the elder man couldn't retain his grip. Shigure launched from their hiding place toward Mayuri, a kunai clutched in his white-knuckled fist. He could save her life, he knew, but she'd never be able to do any missions with him. She would sit in their family manor and stagnate. It would be kinder to kill her than have her live in pain.

"Shigure!" Mayuri suddenly cried, "Please don't!"

He froze long enough for Yutenji to surge up form behind Mayuri and thrust a sword through her neck, scoring a vicious hit on Shigure's face. If Kakashi hadn't have been fast as he was, the blade would have – at best – blinded Shigure. As it was, Shigure would only have a nasty scar that began at the bridge of his nose, ran horizontally across his left eye, and stopped before the tip of his ear. Mayuri's dead form hung on Yutenji's blade, as if mocking the young jounin who was now helpless in Kakashi's hold. Kakashi leapt backwards as he heard the squelching of metal being extracted from flesh and settled Shigure against a tree trunk, quickly wrapping a bandage around both eyes, more to keep Shigure form seeing Yutenji step on Mayuri's skull and break it open like an egg than to stop the bleeding.

"You shouldn't have done that," Kakashi crooned, his tone decidedly deadly. As a jounin, Kakashi knew that he – and Shigure – had seen and done some horrible and brutal things. Seeing Mayuri die hadn't affected Kakashi much aside from allowing him to slip easily into the ANBU-killer mode. Shigure, however, had been affected much more profoundly. Kakashi could sympathize with the boy. The murder had reminded Kakashi all to easily of Obito, and though the manner – and instigator – of death was different, Kakashi knew exactly what Shigure would go through, because he'd gone through it himself with everyone who'd died – Yondaime-sensei, Obito, Rin, Sarutobi, Asuma – and now he would take revenge for Shigure.

"Shouldn't have done what?" He heard Yutenji – no, not Yutenji, the prey – say. Then the crack of more bone, the soft squish of pressure on flesh. "That?"

The Sharingan was whirling when he looked away from Shigure who'd gone into shock and straight at the murdering bastard who still stood on Mayuri's cooling body. Kakashi didn't make a sound, didn't move. He didn't need to. Yutenji was coming to him to get to Shigure. Chakra flared as Kakashi took off, fist slamming into Yutenji's mouth, splitting flesh against teeth and knocking out a few of those too. Shigure – over the short time Kakashi knew him – had become his friend and more importantly he had been there for Iruka when the chuunin had been with this bastard trying to save an innocent girl. In other words, Yutenji was coming nowhere near Shigure. Kakashi planted his feet and quickly signed through several seals, disappearing underground before Yutenji regained his balance and his sight through the red haze of pain. At the last possible second, Kakashi exploded from the earth beneath Yutenji's feet, kunai thrown only as cover for the silver-haired jounin's real tactic.

The man before him wasn't deserving of a painless, easy death. No, this man who had destroyed countless lives, who had murdered Mayuri, who had wounded Shigure in both body and spirit, deserved to die slowly and painfully.

The Chidori was only the precursor.

The build-up of lightning caught Yutenji's attention, even through the shield of earth. The man scrambled for cover, but he wasn't fast enough. The Chidori slammed into his knees – Kakashi had been aiming for his hips – and bone and flesh ripped and sizzled, blood cauterizing in the veins and arteries as Yutenji fell to the ground. The man rolled, hands up and pleading for mercy. Kakashi's apathetic stare became quite deadly as he stared down at the man, quickly and efficiently severing the tendons in his wrists. Having a weapon drawn on him now would only serve to piss Kakashi off even more and force his hand to a premature death for Yutenji.

"Mercy?" Kakashi purred as he stalked around the sniveling man. How odd, Kakashi thought, that Yutenji as so strong willed when he was winning and such a coward when losing. "You want mercy?"

Something akin to babbling escaped Yutenji's mouth. Kakashi ignored it and continued talking.

"Did you offer mercy to the girls you stole from their families? Did you offer mercy to the lives you destroyed? Did you offer Mayuri mercy when you murdered her? Did you offer mercy when you–" Kakashi cut himself off and looked at Shigure, at the pink bandages that covered his eyes. Kakashi summoned all the animosity he could to his eyes, Sharingan whirling as he stared down at Yutenji. There was one last pathetic attempt at begging for mercy. Kakashi lifted his kunai.

"No."

Blood spurted as tendon and muscle tore, Kakashi hacking away at Yutenji, not with the kunai in his hand – he didn't want to soil it – but with chakra knives, each as sharp as his hate for the man. He took revenge for those who couldn't and left the body there for vultures and scavengers to find.

Yutenji didn't deserve a proper burial. But Mayuri did.

What was left of her.

He buried her with a jutsu, and placed a rock over top her grave. Another unmarked, unmourned ninja interned to the earth. Kakashi turned at a quiet plead and moved to pick Shigure up so he could say his final good-byes. Kakashi pretended he didn't hear Shigure crying as he brought the boy back to Iiga with him. Shigure deserved the moment of weakness. The pair had definitely been good shinobi, skilled and well trained. But all that training couldn't save Mayuri. Kakashi resolved to have her name added to the Memorial Stone. It seemed a fitting tribute.

He met up with Iruka at Haomaru's residence and told his story. When Shigure was in a drugged sleep, Kakashi hand Iruka had sex. Neither of them called it 'making love' for a reason, because it was fast and hard and rough, more for Kakashi's sake than Iruka's. The next morning, Kakashi and Iruka bid farewell to Haomaru and the still-recovering Yukari and brought Shigure back to Konoha with them so that Tsunade herself could heal his eye. With Shigure tucked in at the hospital, the pair of ninja sat down in Iruka's apartment to work out a report. Despite the horrible memories, Iruka deemed the report decent enough to turn in to the Missions Office. Kakashi turned it in to Tsunade and casually asked about putting a certain name on the Memorial Stone. There was resistance, to be expected since Mayuri hadn't been a Konoha native, but all Tsunade needed to do to convince the council was introduce them to Shigure. Kakashi and Iruka visited him as often as they could and weren't surprised to find him missing one day. Of course, every available nin was scrambled to find him, but Kakashi and Iruka spent those crazy hours sitting on the roof of the jounin bachelor complex, reading a scroll that had been pushed under Iruka's door. The only words that had been on the scroll had been 'Thank you. For everything' and a map, a subtle invitation.

Kakashi rolled the scroll up and tucked it inside his flak jacket before he put an arm around Iruka's shoulders. They sat on the roof till dusk and went into Kakashi's apartment to bask in the warmth there, a warmth not caused by heat itself, but the love two people have only for one another.


	17. Chapter 17

Epilogue

"Oi, Iruka," Genma called from the filing room in the missions office, "I'm gonna go get some dinner. You want anything?"

"No. I've gotta get going," the brunette replied, smiling at the shocked expression the blonde was wearing when he emerged. Genma managed somehow not to swallow his senbon as he got up the courage to ask the all-important question.

"Plans or something?"

"I've got to go play escort," Iruka said with a coy smile that invited – no, dared – Genma to ask. He wisely didn't.

"See you later, then." Genma said as he watched Iruka pack up and head out the door. He was so dumbfounded that he didn't move from his spot until Iruka's replacement, some chuunin he didn't know the name of, called his. After that he sat in a daze, chewing on the end of his senbon in wonder. Iruka had left on time for once. Maybe Raidou knew what was going on. Maybe.

"Yo," a deceptively cheery voice said. Genma peered up at Kakashi and was suddenly worried for his health. The elder jounin was smiling. Genma shivered.

"Yo, yourself."

"Where's Iruka?"

Genma's eyebrow rose. "Iruka? He left. Said he had to go play escort or something."

"Really," Kakashi's visible eye crinkled a bit more. "Later."

He was gone in a burst of smoke and burning ozone, leaving Genma intact and alive if a bit unnerved. He bolted the second his replacement arrived and went to find Raidou. His lover would never believe this.

Escort, Kakashi thought gleefully, Iruka's playing escort.

Any other word would've made Kakashi quite angry indeed, but that particular word made him quite happy. And horny. Because he had an idea and that idea made him one horny Kakashi. But he had to be patient, a word that was never in his vocabulary when Iruka was involved. He needed to work on it. He teleported into Iruka's apartment instead of waiting at the door like he should've, and wondered for a long moment why the furniture had been moved around. Then he understood and grinned when he saw the daimyo costume set out for him on the small table in the middle of the living room. He quickly read the note – it wasn't really important – and changed just as fast before sitting on the couch in as much a regal way as possible before Iruka glided into the room.

Kakashi had to remember not to gape too much at his chuunin because he probably felt horribly embarrassed to be dressed as a geisha. But the dark blue kimono brought out and contrasted with his eyes, making him incredibly beautiful. His hair was styled in a bun, pinned with decorated senbon, and his face was subtlety painted, giving him that feminine look. Kakashi raised one hand.

"Stop there." Kakashi said in his best noble voice. "Who sent you?"

He watched Iruka fidget. "My master," Iruka said finally.

"Who is your master?"

"He's known only as the Scarecrow."

Kakashi fought not to smile as he turned his hand over, palm up, and beckoned Iruka with his index finger. Obediently, the brunette came forward, slow and sultry, watching Kakashi from beneath his bangs.

"Testing my patience are you?" Kakashi asked. Iruka only smiled. When he was within reach, Kakashi grabbed him and pulled him into his lap so that Iruka was straddling his hips.

"I don't wanna play anymore," Kakashi whispered as his hands opened Iruka's kimono, sliding over his chest to tease his nipples. "Do you?"

"I was doing this for you." Iruka replied, arching backwards as pleasure stole up his spine at the attention.

"You know you don't need to pretend to get me going."

"I was trying to be – oh – sexy."

"You are," Kakashi replied before he sealed his mouth over Iruka's right nipple, tongue lapping at the hardened nub as his free hand snuck up toward Iruka's hair to twitch it out of the bun, setting those decorated senbon off to the side somewhere. Kakashi didn't care if Iruka dressed up to act out a fantasy – in fact, the kimonos looked godly on him – because he only had eyes for Iruka. The shy chuunin would probably understand in time, but for now, Kakashi focused on bringing Iruka pleasure. His fingers slid along Iruka's spine south from his neck, his fingertips encountering a massive line of scar tissue. He only knew what the scar was because of Naruto, having eavesdropped on a conversation the blonde boy and Sasuke had been having one night on a mission. He traced it, knowing a little more to the left, Iruka could've been killed, or worse, left paralyzed. But he hadn't and here he was, with Kakashi. And he was solely Kakashi's – well, sexually, anyway, because they were –lovers– and Naruto's claim on Iruka only went as far as –big brother–. So Kakashi had nothing to fear.

His breath left him in a great sigh as he felt Iruka slide his hips over his growing erection and followed through to begin a gentle grind as he pulled off Iruka's kimono, tossing it to the floor and pausing after a moment, staring at it and the senbon.

"Later," Iruka said, breathless.

"But,"

"After." A soft intake of breath. "Promise."

Kakashi fought down the neurosis and soon forgot the mess on the floor when Iruka's teeth found the shell of his ear, nibbling in horrible ways. Kakashi arched, lifted Iruka into his arms as the brunette wrapped his naked legs around the jounin's waist, and surged off the couch, toward Iruka's bedroom. Clothes were shed in route, which Kakashi would fret over when he woke up beside his chuunin the next morning. He'd pick them up when Iruka wasn't looking and feel mightily clever because Iruka would pretend not to notice. But that was for the morning. Right now, he was solely focused on Iruka and pleasuring him. They fell onto the bed, a tangle of naked limbs and wet kisses, each trying to make the other shiver in pleasure and moan for more. Kakashi rolled his hips into Iruka's and elicited a cry that couldn't even match the written moans of Icha Icha. Kakashi shuddered and grinned because Iruka was keeping his promise and so much more. Somehow, Kakashi wedged his knees in between Iruka's and spread them, one hand wrapping around Iruka's length as his other meandered up Iruka's stomach to his mouth. Strong fingers tapped Iruka's lips and ever so slowly did they part, accepting those digits inside. Faintly, Kakashi supposed he should've fetched a little something more romantic than spit for lube, but the heat in Iruka's eyes kept him still. Another fleeting thought was for condoms, but they'd never used them before, so why start now?

Kakashi slipped his fingers from Iruka's mouth and trailed the wet digits down the brunette's chest, over his stomach, through the coarse thatch of hair at the juncture of his thighs and finally stopped on the little pucker he'd invaded so roughly before. Red and blue rose to meet darkened brown and Kakashi received a short nod as Iruka lifted his hips in invitation. Slowly, Kakashi slid his fingers into Iruka's body, two digits knuckle by knuckle until Kakashi couldn't push any further. Then he withdrew, thrust and withdrew again, scissoring his fingers to loosen tight muscles as his chuunin moaned and writhed beneath him. The sounds he elicited from Iruka were of utter pleasure and love and Kakashi never wanted to lose those sounds. They'd come to a compromise; Kakashi would tell Iruka of a mission and roughly when he was expected to be back, and if it was ANBU he'd take the mask Iruka had hung on his den wall, returning it when he was back. Iruka would also tell Kakashi of any missions he went on, if any, and he wouldn't get mad at Kakashi for his constant porn reading – provided it wasn't around children – or his obsession about keeping things neat and tidy.

"Kakashi!"

The silver-haired jounin grinned at Iruka's cry, pulling his fingers out of Iruka's loosened passage. He spat in his hand and rubbed it over his throbbing erection, positioning himself against Iruka and meeting his eyes before he pushed in. He paused at any sign of pain, but when Iruka bit his shoulder he shoved his way into his lover. Iruka was fierce when there was something he wanted and he could get temperamental when it was kept out of his reach for too long. He hooked his arms under Iruka's knees and folded his brunette in half, pounding into him with sharp, short thrusts until Iruka was panting hard, and quickly changed the tempo to slow and deep, the tip of Kakashi's erection brushing over Iruka's prostate with every thrust. The brunette tossed his head and moaned deliciously as Kakashi made love to him, lips meeting in rough, loving kisses as Kakashi picked up his pace again, slamming into Iruka to drive him over the edge.

He heard Iruka scream and was faintly aware of his own cry of passion as Iruka's inner walls clamped tight around his erection, the throbbing only serving to milk Kakashi as his own essence spilled out inside of his chuunin. Iruka, however, was a sticky mess of sweat and come. He pulled his limp penis from Iruka's body and massaged his lover's thighs as Iruka yawned. Kakashi moved to grab a corner of the bed sheet – another thing to fret over in the morning – and wiped Iruka clean, then himself, and settled down on the bed to encircle Iruka in his arms.

"Iruka?"

There was a long pause before Iruka gave a sleepy "Hrm…?" in reply. Kakashi smiled.

"I love you,"

"Love you, too, 'Kashi," Iruka replied in a whisper before he fell back into a deep, peaceful sleep. Kakashi watched his lover for a long while before he too closed his eyes. With Iruka escorting him into the dream world, Kakashi decided he wasn't afraid to be without Iruka for just a little while.

- Owari -


End file.
